01 May 2008


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Spud sales soar as shoppers feel pinch

Potatoes

Fresh Produce

TNS Worldpanel

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Potato feast as credit crunch bites 01 May 2008

Shoppers are buying more potatoes as the credit crunch hits home, according to new data from market research company TNS Worldpanel.

Potatoes: volume growth

It reports volume sales of potatoes in the latest 12-week period to 20 April 2008 have increased compared with the same period in 2007.

In value terms, however, sales have slowed as prices have been reduced.

“The key difference in the last 12 weeks is we are seeing shoppers buying more per trip rather than buying more frequently, which could be the response to lower prices in the last 12 weeks,” said Sara Royo Alcalde, TNS Worldpanel analyst.

However, sales of old potatoes, which dominate the category with a 47% share of sales, have increased by volume and value in the last 12-weeks.

TNS said this could be attributed to the colder, wetter weather or was evidence of shoppers returning to staples foods as the credit crunch hits home.

In the 52 weeks to 20 April 2008, the potato category grew by 8% to £997m.

According to TNS, growth has been driven by a slight increase in the number of shoppers buying potatoes and by shoppers purchasing potatoes more frequently.

By Fiona Briggs

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