The weekend of the coronation of King Charles at the beginning of May saw a large increase in the consumption of meat across the country, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has said.
The uptake of meat over the coronation weekend was predicted by the AHDB early in May, as previous Royal Family events, such as Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, showed a significant increase in the consumption of meat.
The most popular choice of meat over the weekend was pork, but the public enjoyed a wide range of goods, including beef, lamb, and many dairy and poultry products.
Meat consumption
Pork pies and cooked sausages were firm favourites of the weekend, as sales rose by 20% and 16%
Sausage rolls saw a 22% uplift during the coronation, when compared with the last two weeks of April 2023.
Sliced beef-based cooked meats saw a rise, which the AHDB said was “perhaps due to increased patriotism for quintessential British flavours such as roast beef and horseradish sandwiches”.
As a roast rack of lamb was one of the official coronation dishes, AHDB head of marketing Carrie McDermid said the dish “highlights the important role British livestock farmers play in sustainable food production.”
Other sectors
Other farming sectors also profited from the coronation, as the dairy industry saw fresh cream sales rise by 80%, with the public eager to make homemade deserts and baked goods, including the coronation quiche.
The coronation quiche, which was personally chosen by the King and Camilla, no doubt contributed to the consumption of dairy products, as the ingredients include cream, cheese, butter, and milk.
Grocery sales went up 16% during the week of the coronation when compared with the average two-week period.
The coronation caused sales of scotch eggs to go up by 31%, as the poultry sector saw a rise in the use of their produce across the weekend.
Charlotte Forkes-Rees, an analyst at AHDB said: “This latest data shows the importance of key events for food consumption habits.
“The nation loves to celebrate, so even ad hoc events such as the King’s Coronation provides an excellent opportunity to boost sales of both red meat and dairy.”
