UK Meat Prices Create Affordability Pressure
UK Meat Faces Affordability Squeeze as Prices Outpace Wages
UK consumers are increasingly feeling an affordability squeeze on meat, as retail prices continue to rise faster than household incomes, according to analysis published by ESM Magazine. While demand for meat remains resilient, higher prices are beginning to influence buying behaviour, pack sizes and product choices.
The report highlights that beef has been particularly affected, with tight domestic and global supply pushing prices higher at retail. Combined with ongoing cost pressures across the supply chain, this has reduced purchasing power for some shoppers, especially in lower-income households. As a result, consumers are trading down, switching cuts or reducing volumes rather than exiting the category entirely.
Source article: ESM Magazine – “Is meat facing an affordability squeeze in the UK?”
16 December 2025
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