UK Customers have Reduced Buying Beef Products due to the Horsemeat Scandal

 

With the presence of horsemeat in several beef products in the United Kingdom, it should come as no surprise that many customers have reduced their purchases of meat.

 

In expressing the sentiment of customers, David Black, a spokesperson for 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.”

 

With the scandal first starting in Ireland and then spreading to other parts of Europe, this has led to ready meals being pulled off the shelves of supermarkets as well as growing concerns over the complex supply chain in the European Union as well as the lack of good food labeling.

 

In a poll conducted by the Consumer Intelligence research company amongst 22000 participants, it was found that almost a fifth of consumers have begun buying less meat as a result of finding horse DNA in these beef products.

 

Since the discovery, even if no one has been reported falling ill due to the presence of horsemeat, supermarkets and fast food chains are struggling to salvage their reputation in light of recent events.

 

In response to this change in purchasing habits, governments are stressing that horsemeat poses little or no risk at all yet consumers are now choosing to buy meat from their local butchers as opposed to processed meats from supermarkets.

 

However, this continues to remain a challenge because of the expense involved in buying joints, chops or stakes instead of processed meat.