BUTCHERS ARE BACK
Shanks but no shanks, say shoppers who give supermarkets the chop in favour of the local meat and greet
SHOPPERS are ditching the supermarket shank and opting for brisket from the butchers, with retailers pointing to a spending power shift.
Butchers across the Geelong region have noted a consumer uptick due to rising meat prices with customers stretching their dollar further at the corner store operators.
Highton Valley Meats man- ager Scott Fitzgerald said carnivorous customers appreciated the higher quality cuts at their local butcher shop.
“You’re buying decent quality meat, I’d say better quality meat at the local butcher than you are from the big production lines at the supermarkets,” Mr Fitzgerald said.
“I’ve got nothing against Coles and Woolies, but there’s not the same attention to detail. A lot of our customers want the face-to-face service over the counter and want to pick out their particular cut of meat.
“I suppose some people buy their meat in the supermarket for the convenience, but we’ve seen more and more people take the time out to go and buy their meat here, particularly in the winter months when they’re cooking a hearty meal.”
Tasman Market Fresh Meats deputy manager Tom Beall said many customers shopped at butchers and other small businesses because they received the attention to detail supermarkets were unable to provide.
“When you’re a butcher, or run a fruit shop or whatever, that’s the one thing you do and you have to do it well,” he said.
“With the winter months, customers are coming in for the more hearty cuts of meat for stews and casseroles. Osso bucco, shanks are really popular at the moment.”
Meat and Livestock Australia has said rocketing meat pri- ces are set to stabilise over the coming months.
Both Coles and Woolworths have noted in their quarterly updates the need for their outlets to somewhat subsidise the cost of red meat products in order to buffer customers against steep marketplace rises.
On average, Australians spend $350 each annually on beef purchases, a figure that has remained steady for the past decade.