Shoppers are becoming more cautious during the credit crunch and are therefore buying fewer free-range chickens, according to TNS.
Figures released by the research body have revealed in the four weeks ending 18 May this year, 4.5% of all chickens sold were free range.
This was after a high-profile campaign by the television chefs Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, which looked at the conditions afforded intensively reared animals.
However, in the four weeks ending 30 November, 3.9% of chickens bought were free range.
This figure is still up on the corresponding period in 2007, when 3.6% of chickens purchased were in the free range category.
In the four-week period leading up to 18 May, 2.7m free-range chickens were sold. This dipped to 2.4m in November.
Chris Longbotttom from TNS said that while it is too early to suggest interest has been lost altogether in free-range chickens, people are definitely reconsidering their options.
He said: “The economic climate is not right for these markets to continue to grow.
“On average, premium products are 30% more expensive
“People are re-examining their product choices and we do see this in other areas as well.
“Organic eggs are really struggling, and since Easter most premium products are starting to suffer.
“We’ve seen the organic market go into some decline.”
Last week, exclusive figures obtained by TalkingRetail.com showed that only 13% of shoppers think it is very likely they will buy a free-range turkey this Christmas.
Longbottom concluded: “People are saying enough is enough.”
