Potato survey highlights need for industry messaging

Potatoes have long been one of the nation’s favourite foods and are considered by some to be more important on the dinner table than alcohol or dessert. But while it appears we love our spuds, delving deeper into consumer habits show that a sense of nostalgia is hampering consumption patterns.

In a survey for the ‘Potatoes: More Than A Bit On The Side’ campaign, over a third (38%) of people confessed to sticking to the same potato meals time and again. According to Nick White, head of marketing and corporate affairs at AHDB Potatoes, this is fuelling perceptions that potatoes are a traditional and somewhat unexciting food.

Nick said: “One of the challenges we face, particularly among younger consumers, is to get them to see potatoes as a relevant, modern day food that is quick, easy and convenient to cook. We can do this by encouraging them to be adventurous and break-out of their potato-cooking comfort zones through recipe inspiration.

“We’ve introduced a range of fantastic new potato-based meal ideas, such as Indian-inspired Potato and Chickpea Masala or Jamaican Jerk Haddock, at www.lovepotatoes.co.uk and to maximise our promotional efforts, would urge industry to share them wherever possible.”

Further promotional tools are available as part of the ‘One Voice’ initiative. This includes eye-catching lorry livery, advertising and sticker artwork and a promotional video of the potato character ‘Bud’ to request and use.

Available free of charge from www.potatoes.ahdb.org.uk/onevoice the material is designed to amplify the impact of the ‘Potatoes: More Than A Bit On The Side’ campaign messages.

Nick said: “Making use of our recipe artwork and key messages on vehicles, retail packs as well as in-store posters, marketing materials and websites, will deliver a cohesive message. And it is this that will penetrate and help consumers get excited about potatoes again.”