Rising prices, enduring loyalty: Beef mince in British homes

Over the past 52 weeks, the average price per kilo of beef mince has risen 28.7%, driven by high inflation for the beef category¹. This has led to a -8.3% decline in volumes of beef mince sold in retail and a -3.1% decline in household penetration.

The higher prices have driven some consumers to switch from beef mince to cheaper proteins, primarily chicken (whole bird, breast, wings, legs and thighs)¹.

Others have switched from beef mince to other types of mince, with pork mince volumes growing 31.6% year-on-year, and chicken mince volumes growing 59.6%¹. Lamb mince, with the highest average price per kilo, has declined 7.4% year-on-year¹.

Although in decline, beef mince is still the most popular type of mince sold in retail, purchased by 70% of GB households, and accounting for 73% of all types of mince sold¹.

Familiar, flexible and family friendly

Traditional beef mince is closely linked to trusted family meals such as spaghetti bolognese, lasagne, chilli-con-carne and cottage pie. These meals are low risk, easy to cook and are typically enjoyed by the whole family.

Parents value the certainty that these meals will be eaten, reducing the need to cook multiple dishes or deal with waste².

“I’ve got two children who are quite fussy eaters and beef mince is the only meat that they will eat it all and enjoy it” Female, aged 26.

“You can use beef mince in so many different recipes and they all sort of taste different” Female, aged 72.

These dishes also evoke an emotional response from consumers, described as warming, nostalgic and comforting. They’re often linked to childhood memories and ingrained family rituals².

“It’s always been there since I was a little girl, warm, comforting and just generally makes us feel good” Female, aged 51.

Price expectations are being challenged

Typically, consumers think a 500 g pack of beef mince should cost around £3 to £5. Below £5, buying is often habitual. Above £5, decisions become more considered².

In the 12 weeks ending 23 March 2025, a 500 g pack of 5% fat beef mince cost £3.94 on average. A year later, with high inflation at play, the same pack of mince cost £5.27 on average³, taking it above the £5 threshold.

How shoppers are coping with higher prices

Consumers are using a range of strategies to manage rising costs.

Rethinking fat content

Lean mince, especially the 5% fat option, is considered healthier and easier to cook with².  It accounts for 55% of all beef mince volumes¹.

“I always go for 5% one because it’s a lot healthier, a lot better for you” Female, aged 34.

However, some shoppers are choosing higher fat content beef mince to save money. For example, 500 g packs of 15–19% fat content beef mince have seen volumes grow 8.7% year-on-year¹.

Changing pack sizes

Some shoppers are buying larger packs that offer better perceived value for money². As an example, 750g packs of 15–19% fat content beef mince have seen volumes grow 46.6% year-on-year¹.

“I have been buying the bigger packs lately because it seems to be more value for money than buying the 500g pack. And then you can freeze it as and when you need to” Female, aged 37.

Other consumers have opted for smaller packs to save money, with 250 g packs of 5% fat content beef mince seeing volumes grow 12.8%¹.

“Sometimes I would have for the four of us…a 500g mince each meal, but now I do make a 250g mince last for the meal” Female, aged 37.

Using mince differently

Some households are eating beef mince less often, for example moving from weekly to fortnightly meals².

“Just for affordability, buying beef mince on a weekly basis for my family isn’t a feasible option at the moment” Female, aged 48.

Others are stretching mince further by batch cooking, freezing portions or bulking out dishes with vegetables or beans².

“If I’m making a bolognese or something, I’ll add something else in, maybe put a bit of spinach into bulk it up, or beans, or chickpeas and things to bulk it up but still taste nice” Male, aged 45.

Other tactics such as buying on promotion or switching to different retailers are also at play².

Alternatives are a compromise, not a replacement

Mixes of beef and pork mince are starting to be more accepted, with volumes growing 9.8% in the past 52 weeks¹.

“If I’m doing a lasagne, I’ll have a combination of beef and pork mince. Pork mince is a lot more affordable and I find the two flavours work very well together” Female, aged 66.

Chicken or turkey minces are sometimes chosen for health or price reasons, but some feel they lack the texture, flavour and versatility needed for mince-based dishes².

“The children do prefer the beef mince as opposed to chicken or turkey, I think it’s just the texture and the flavour that they prefer and the meals just seem to taste different with beef mince, and beef mince tends to give a nice rich flavour” Female, aged 73.

What this means for the sector

Consumers have an emotional connection with mince that takes it beyond a simple commodity. Therefore, we need to communicate to consumers about beef mince in a way which lives up this expectation. To maintain volumes in the current economic climate, actions are required across different consumer touch points:

Products:

• Consider the range of pack sizes and fat content offerings provided to ensure that there are offerings that fit below the £5 threshold - keeping British beef mince accessible for all consumers irrespective of budget.
• Blends of beef and pork mince could be an option to help consumers maintain their interaction with beef mince in a cost-effective manner that doesn’t sacrifice taste.

In-store:

• Shoppers typically spend 73 seconds on average at the shelf when shopping for mince – faster than other cuts of beef. Utilise point of sale (POS) that disrupts and stops shoppers in their tracks such as space savers, shelf strips and aisle fins
• Focus on in-store messaging that can encourage shoppers to re-evaluate beef mince, inspiring consumers to think about the end meal rather than the mince itself, and tapping into their emotional connection with beef mince
• On pack, demonstrate the taste credentials and versatility of British beef mince through foodie-imagery. Inform on the health benefits of beef mince with particular focus on natural protein and vitamin B12

Pre-store marketing:

• Continue to maintain the emotional connection to beef mince by focusing on the meal occasion and the value beef mince brings to the meal (e.g. feeds a family of 4 for under £5)
• Build value cues around enjoyment, taste and nutrition to reinforce trust and justify price. AHDB’s Let's Eat Balanced consumer campaign highlights the great taste and nutritional benefits of British beef
• Celebrate the role of beef mince in a variety of family-friendly dishes that are quick and easy to cook, filling and reduce waste through batch cooking
• Find recipes and inspiration

References

¹ Worldpanel by Numerator UK, 52 w/e 22 March 2026
² AHDB/DJS Research, Qualitative research on mince, March 2026
³ Worldpanel by Numerator UK, 12 w/e 22 March 2026

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