Tamás Éder: ham is no longer the star of Easter

By: Trademagazin Date: 2024. 03. 27. 13:05

The purchase and consumption of ham products in Hungary during the Easter holiday period accounts for 30-40 percent of the annual turnover. This traditional festive period is a significant highlight for the food market. However, the dynamics of shopping habits have changed noticeably this year. The president of the Association of Responsible Food Producers, Tamás Éder, said in the InfoRádió Aréna program that, unlike previous years, many people leave their Easter shopping until the last days. This change has two important consequences: the volume of sales decreases in the period before the holidays, and Easter ham buying habits also change.

In the food industry, in preparation for the Easter holidays, interest in eggs and smoked meat products is increasing. There is a wide selection of smoked meats, smoked knuckles and long-aged country ham are particularly popular products. Tamás Éder emphasized that six to seven thousand tons of smoked meat are usually sold in the period before Easter.

However, customer behavior has fundamentally changed this year. Many people left their Easter shopping to the last minute, which reduced traffic in advance. Tamás Éder noted that, due to the preferences of smaller families and single people, in the category of smoked meat products, smaller and smaller products are being marketed.

In terms of prices, changes in the price of live pigs affect the price of meat products, however, compared to the last year, certain products remained roughly at the same level or may even be cheaper.