INCONSISTENCY in steak quality is one of the biggest barriers stopping consumers regularly buying steak, with one third of consumers saying they waited at least a month before buying again after a bad experience with a tough cut, reveals research in the latest edition of AHDB Beef and Lamb’s quarterly category report, The Cutting Edge. 
While the report indicates a healthy appetite for quality steaks, with appearance and price still the main drivers for the majority of producers, the inconsistency is costing the industry millions in lost revenue each year. 
“It is great that this research robustly illustrates that a good steak is still at the heart of many consumers’ regular shopping,” said Mike Whittemore, head of trade and product development at AHDB Beef and Lamb.
“I believe, however, that we’re missing an opportunity to grow the sector even further. Our latest research shows that three out of four regular steak consumers have experienced a tough steak and, out of these, 22% were put off buying again for some time – a third of them for more than three months.
“That’s a lot of people we’re hacking off, not just in terms of a poor eating experience, but in effectively dissuading them from repeat purchases and missing out on a significant potential sales uplift.”
AHDB Beef and Lamb has undertaken a significant amount of work in this area through its cut development activity, using modern butchery techniques and establishing the optimum specification to help ensure consistency right across the steak range.