SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The global recession is turning belt tightening into a trend.
“It is cool to be frugal,” said John Lundeen, executive director of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s market research division.
Consumer surveys since August 2009 have found that people are pinching pennies to save money, he told a seminar at the NCBA convention in San Antonio held Jan. 27-30.
Polls show most consumers believe the current economic conditions will last for about three years.
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They are eating more at home and serving smaller portions. Where one steak might have fed two people before, cooks are now cutting it up to feed three. About 15 percent of consumers said they are making more meatless meals.
Beef consumption has remained about the same for most households, but they are buying cheaper items.
“We got hit the hardest for our premium products,” Lundeen said.
“This trend toward ground beef is longer term than the recession.”
The American population has grown but they are eating the same volume of meat, which means per capita consumption is down.
Consumers want quick- and easy-to-prepare food, and ground beef is a good fit for a busy family.
“Ground beef is a wonderful product, but we can’t let it dominate the industry,” he said.
Beef promoting organizations such as NCBA are encouraging consumers to consider mid-priced product options, which Lundeen called “ingredient beef” used for stir fries and fajitas.
Another survey found that about two-thirds of households always have ground beef on hand. About one-third have steaks handy but much fewer have a roast available for a meal.
Other consumer surveys show the average household has chicken about three times a week, beef and pork about two and half times per week and fish once a week.
Fewer are cooking from scratch and more consumers are buying ready-to-eat and frozen entrees.
