Bangers and flash at Halloween and Bonfire Night set to bring a boost for red meat and dairy, writes AHDB Retail Insight Manager Kim Malley

Brits love an excuse to party and after an unprecedented 18 months spent in lockdown, now more than ever, most of us are relishing the idea of getting together with family and friends. With Halloween and Bonfire Night celebrations starting next week, both events have the potential to ignite a spark in sales of red meat and dairy – helping our pork, beef and milk volumes rocket. If we look at pre-Covid behaviour, both celebrations see seasonal boosts – with Halloween and Bonfire Night having the third and fourth highest seasonal uplifts in grocery. Looking at the AHDB report ‘The Importance of Events’, which was written prior to the pandemic and is a more accurate comparison for this year than last, compared to an average two weeks of the year, the spending levels increased four and three per cent respectively – beaten only by Christmas and Easter.

The next few weeks look likely to be a sparkler and bring a substantial uplift to retailers. Roasting joints, mince and stewing products have the potential to keep consumers under their spell, with hearty, sharing meals featuring at both events. We also see that sausages and frankfurters are a favourite on Bonfire Night and people love getting their fangs into pork ribs at Halloween (Kantar, 2 w/e to seasonal event) Pizza also spikes at this time of year because it’s good for sharing – bringing increased sales for cheese. Both events bring greater demand for liquid milk and butter – used in both warming hot drinks and more home baking. So, as we look at a return to celebrating Halloween and Bonfire Night, it’s important to maximise on the potential these gatherings present. As we know seasonal celebrations always represent important and lucrative times of the year for retailer and foodservice businesses.