A recent investigation by the Food Foundation has unveiled a notable trend among UK supermarkets, where multibuy promotions disproportionately favour meat and processed meat products.
The Food Foundation’s study highlights that 18% of multibuy offers in major supermarkets focus on meat and dairy, with 11% specifically targeting processed meats such as sausages, ham, and bacon. This contrasts sharply with the mere 5% of promotions that include fruit and vegetables, according to the analysis conducted in March across supermarkets including Aldi, Iceland, Morrisons, Asda, Tesco, and Sainsbury’s. The findings suggest that these stores are ‘actively incentivising citizens to buy more of those foods that are known to be bad for the health of people and the planet,’ according to the think tank.
Iceland emerges as a key player in this trend, with 15% of its multibuy deals featuring processed meats. Tesco follows with 13%, and Asda at 11%. In stark contrast, Iceland offers the least promotions on fruit and vegetables, at just 2%. This trend is concerning given the established health risks associated with high consumption of processed meat.
The British Retail Consortium responded to these findings by emphasising the affordability of fresh produce, stating, ‘Anyone who shops in a supermarket will know how affordable retailers make fresh fruit and vegetables, whether that is through everyday low prices or promotions.’ They highlighted that quality and affordability are central to their offerings, meeting consumer demand for fresh fruit and veg.
Despite these claims, the imbalance in promotional strategies raises questions about the industry’s role in shaping consumer habits towards less sustainable and potentially harmful dietary choices. Notably, among the major supermarkets, only Lidl has articulated aims to boost sales of non-meat dishes through promotional strategies.
The Food Foundation’s study underscores a significant pattern in supermarket promotions that favours less healthy food options. As awareness of diet-related health risks grows, this highlights a need for supermarkets to reconsider their promotional strategies and align them more closely with public health objectives.
