Building on clear messaging is important for agri-food exporters to help maintain and grow their EU customer base in future years, according to a new report.
The EU remains a key trading partner for the UK’s red meat and dairy sectors, but exporters are being told to gain a greater understanding of the European consumer to benefit from future trade.
While home to the lion’s share of red meat and dairy exports, shipments to the EU have been declining for the last 18 months – with factors such as Brexit, Covid-19 and the closure of foodservice having a major impact.
UK food and drink exports to the bloc have fallen more than a quarter since 2019, figures by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) show.
However, according to AHDB’s latest report ‘Exploring the EU: Understanding Consumer Needs’, opportunities still exist to increase trade and maximise on the good relationship enjoyed for the past 40 years.
The report gained insight into the meat-buying habits of more than 11,000 consumers across nine markets in the EU, and 4,000 dairy consumers in two markets.
Europe will reach €2,041 billion grocery sales by 2022, according to the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD), making it the third-largest regional grocery market, behind Asia and North America.
European consumers also have the highest grocery spend per capita in the world and are increasingly looking for their food to meet a wider variety of needs.
These include issues such as animal welfare, environmental concerns and the growing economic squeeze.
Because of this, exporters of British agri-food products should carefully consider unique selling points, messages and visual cues to land the right messages with consumers in the EU, AHDB's report says.
Exporters should also be clear on messaging around British meat and dairy to tell consumers about the products, such as taste and quality, alongside wider reputational topics.
Among other recommendations for UK exporters is the need for global messaging around 'Brand Britain', as well as more targeted communication to meet the needs of consumers within the bloc's markets.
AHDB international market development director Dr Phil Hadley said the organisation was committed to working with the government to continue the mutually beneficial trade with the UK's neighbours.
“If we are to continue seeing our products on tables across the EU, it is crucial we have greater insight into what consumers in these important markets seek out when making their purchases.”
AHDB senior consumer insight manager Steven Evans added: “We have been able to produce a hugely important report for exporters in the UK.
“The research we have undertaken provides a wealth of knowledge about how consumers in the EU are looking for the food they eat to meet a greater number of needs, such as quality and taste, as well as increasingly looking for products which are environmentally friendly.”
