Frozen burger sales in Republic fall by 42%

Sales of frozen burgers in Irish supermarkets have collapsed in recent weeks as shoppers have turned their backs on the products in the wake of the horse meat scandal which continues to tarnish the reputation of food producers and retailers across Europe.

Frozen burger sales are down 42 per cent across the State’s leading supermarkets, new figures from market research company Kantar Worldpanel have revealed.

The decline mirrors sales data in the UK where frozen burger sales fell 43 per cent over the same period.

While significant numbers of consumers have lost faith in certain products, they have not shifted their buying habits away from the large supermarkets, the research indicates.

“The impact of the horse meat issue has so far only affected what consumers put in their baskets rather than where they do their shopping,” said Kantar’s David Berry.

While Aldi was one of the first chains implicated in the scandal, it is now the fifth most popular supermarket in the State, having moved ahead of main rival Lidl late last year.