Shopping baskets with red meat are more likely to contain fruits and vegetables

Many retailers have commitments and strategies to increase sales of fruits and vegetables. However, it’s important that red meat isn’t excluded from healthy diet promotion.

Fruits and vegetables are some of the products consumers purchase the most, with 99% of households buying both fresh fruit and vegetables in the last year (AHDB/Kantar 52 w/e 7 July 2024). However, shoppers don’t buy them on every shopping trip, with fresh fruit appearing in 36% of all baskets, and fresh vegetables in 41% of all baskets.

Percentage of total baskets containing different food items

 Source: AHDB analysis of Kantar basket data, 52 w/e 7 July 2024

Research from AHDB in collaboration with Kantar has shown that baskets containing primary red meat cuts are nearly twice as likely to contain fresh vegetables and fruits than the average shopping basket. For example, of baskets containing primary red meat, 76% also contain fresh vegetables while only 41% of total shopping baskets contain fresh vegetables.

Percentage of meat basket types containing fruits and vegetables

Source: AHDB analysis of Kantar basket data, 52 w/e 7 July 2024

Definitions: Primary meat includes whole, minimally processed cuts of meat such as steaks, mince and joints. Processed meat includes processed raw cuts such as sausages, ham, bacon and burgers but excludes further processed products like ready meals. Red meat includes beef, lamb, pork and other red meats like venison. Fish includes both primary and processed fish. Meat-free products include vegetarian sausages, burgers, steaks, etc, tofu and tempeh plus any ready meals made using the above.

Only 10% of baskets contain primary red meat, a relatively small proportion of total baskets. Primary meat is a driver of basket spend in retail. The average shopping basket is worth just £20. When red meat is included the average basket value increases by 37% as shoppers are likely to be buying for more special or occasion meals (AHDB/Kantar, 52 w/e 7 July 2024).

These results vary by the different proteins within red meat. Beef and pork are more likely to be purchased alongside vegetables than lamb. Lamb is more than three times as likely to be purchased from a butcher than beef with 7% of lamb sales purchased through these retailers. Therefore, some of these lamb baskets are less likely to contain vegetables. 

The data suggests only a correlation between primary red meat and fruit and vegetable purchases and not causation. It is not from a lack of want that many consumers are not eating a healthy balanced diet. A lack of time, knowledge and money all play into only 15% of meals at home being cooked fully from scratch (Kantar 52 w/e 12 May 2024). For more trends on consumers’ need for health, see our health article.

AHDB, retailers, government and the food industry should encourage shoppers to make healthier choices. Within the meat category, we can help build their understanding of lean red meat within a balanced diet, how to cook it and what to serve it with. AHDB hope to work with retailers to bring this to life in store, building on our work on improving shopper engagement with the meat aisle and our Let’s Eat Balanced marketing campaign.

We understand that there are many factors at play in consumers’ food decisions and shopper mindsets, such as what they are looking for when shopping, the shops they choose and their reasoning for these choices. AHDB intend to investigate this further, and we have commissioned further research in these areas to understand:

• How fruit and vegetable purchasing varies by shopping mission and demographics (including age and socioeconomic status)
• The healthiness of different baskets
• How this impacts in-home behaviour, the meals consumers eat and how closely these match the recommended Eatwell Guide

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