Growth in German butchery
Sales revenue in the butchery trade increased by 0.1% in the first three quarters of the year, the German Butchers’ Association revealed at the IFFA press conference in Frankfurt on Thursday 4 February.
The slight growth in the sector is expected to rise further as the fourth quarter, boosted by Christmas sales, normally shows an upturn in revenue.
“This result must be viewed against a backdrop of falling consumer prices for meat products and sausage and fewer shops and branch businesses in the butchers’ trade,” said Heinz-Werner Süss, president of the German Butchers’ Association. “This signifies a real growth on the part of those firms remaining in the market,” he added.
The association also reported employment fell by 0.1% when compared to 2014. Around 142,000 were working in the butchery business in 2015.
Engage young butchers
Loss of staff in the butchery trade was due solely to the fall in the number of apprenticeships and the closure of a number of sales outlets. But attracting young people to the butchery trade is “a problem”, Süss added.
His press spokesman later confirmed the German Butchers’ Association was working on strategies to “engage young butchers” and said there will be events at IFFA dedicated to celebrating the up-and-coming butchers in the country.
The German Butchers’ Association also revealed that around seven million people shop at local butchers every day.
With over 27,000 local butchery shops, Germany averages 27 shops per 100,000 people. Statistically speaking, this makes the country one of the largest suppliers of meat and locally produced meat in Europe, according to the German Butchers’ Association.
Meat consumption is also on the rise in Europe, with consumption expected to increase by 2% between now and 2019, according to VDMA. As a result of the expected growth, German butchers are “well positioned” to serve rising demand for local meat, added Süss.
