Horsemeat scandal has changed people's buying habits

8:05am Monday 18th February 2013 in Lewisham © Press Association

THE buying habits of consumers are set to be transformed by the horse meat scandal, new research suggests.

Almost one quarter (24 per cent) of shoppers will buy less processed meat, and more than a fifth (21 per cent) have already started buying less meat in general, according to the findings gathered from a survey by researchers Consumer Intelligence.

The research also found that about 4.1 million people who previously bought processed meat said they would stop doing so altogether.

The effect of the scandal on unprocessed meat sales is less clear, with 25 per cent of people saying they would now buy more unprocessed meat like joints, chops or steaks instead of processed meats.

A further 19 per cent would like to do this, but said they could not afford to.

Vegetarianism seems set for a boost, with six per cent of adults claiming they know someone who has turned vegetarian as a result of the crisis, the survey said.

The scandal has significantly eroded public trust in the food they buy, as 67 per cent of respondents, equivalent to more than 32 million people, said they now trusted food labels less than before.

And 62 per cent said they were now more likely to buy their meat from independent butchers.

Not all consumers have been put off by the scandal, however, as around 12 million people (25 per cent) would knowingly eat horse meat and a further 16 million (33 per cent) would consider doing so, compared with the 20 million people (42 per cent) who say they would not eat it at all.

David Black of Consumer Intelligence said: "Our findings show that this scandal has really hit consumers hard, be it through having to change their shopping habits or altering the fundamentals of their diet.

"The main issue is about being able to trust that what the label says you're eating is what you're actually eating."

Has the horsemeat scandal changed what you buy at the supermarket? Have your say below.

Comments(12)

Polly Staight says...
8:57am Mon 18 Feb 13

You say that the horsemeat scandal is to change peoples buying habits...

...I don't suppose that they are going to identify the EU as being wholly responsible for this pantomime, which it is.

But if they do, they might want to consider buying a vote from UKIP or at least giving them one's vote, since they are the only political party that understand just how evil the EU is and have already called out the criminals here.

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miss rumble tumble says...
9:50am Mon 18 Feb 13

ukip are the governments release vale of voter protest...... nothing ever happens voting for them.... go a bit further and protest properly.... i know i will vote for another party..... i'd rather vote for someone who will make a difference once elected rather than ukip "sitters on fences" taking the cash from the eu but never speaking out over anything in eu parliment or even attending some of the meetings of importance to the uk..... all over this country local governments are hell bent on cash cuts..... saving money..... is it any wonder that horse meat and other rubbish meat is sold between different eu companies in mainland europe..... then sent back to the uk labelled as "beef"? no one seems to care what we are being given as long as its cheap!

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goldenbroomboy says...
10:07am Mon 18 Feb 13

I don't have a problem with eating horse meat as such, but I want it labelled as such, and priced accordingly.

As for Ukippers, in my experience their brains have been smoked.

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Inspirationalady28 says...
10:26am Mon 18 Feb 13

I've never been a red meat lover sticking only to white meat like chicken if at all. Over the years I've eaten more vegetarian food than anything. I usually buy Quorn™ products in moderation and I loathe fast foods. I love things like rice, pasta and couscous, fresh fruit and veg and I prepare/cook fresh food myself. I also bake my own bread, cakes and biscuits, so this horsemeat scandal won't be affecting my shopping habit at all.

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PaulErith says...
10:36am Mon 18 Feb 13

Certainly hasn't changed my buying habits. I was never daft enough in the first place to honestly believe that everything you buy will be exactly what it says it is! It was hardly a shock when all this came to light. It's never really bothered me so long as it tastes good, so I'll continue to buy exactly the same things that I always have done.

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Polly Staight says...
1:32pm Mon 18 Feb 13

So, why the lack of punctuation "miss rumble tumble"?

Is this the same ignorance that led you to write such fantasy about UKIP, of which you obviously know nothing?

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Peony says...
3:24pm Mon 18 Feb 13

I, like Inspirational Lady28, do all my own baking and never buy readymeals. However, before I get too smug, I remembered that I buy sausages, albeit from the finer range, but how can I be 100% sure that they are what they say they are? I also buy Bisto beef gravy granules. Could they be horse gravy granules? What an absolute dishonest state the EU has become. Everybody trying to con each other in the pursuit of bigger and bigger profits. Where are the honest Joes?

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Inspirationalady28 says...
3:35pm Mon 18 Feb 13

I'm sticking to onion gravy made with REAL ONIONS and cornflour!! Lol

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Polly Staight says...
3:39pm Mon 18 Feb 13

Inspirationallady28.
..

"I'm sticking to onion gravy made with REAL ONIONS and cornflour!! Lol"

Don't forget the beef stock!

:)

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Gypo.Joe says...
5:36pm Mon 18 Feb 13

Did I say something to offend someone ...or what ?

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pamela8 says...
8:56pm Mon 18 Feb 13

Thing is you don,t need to eat Animals to survive...its the persons choice...imo..people will stop eating Animals in their droves...How many more warnings do people need for goodness sakes..

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paulbexleyheath says...
9:50pm Mon 18 Feb 13

i heard 2 guys in asda today saying that they could put the horse back together again with the amount of meat being marked down

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