Spuds slump
June 29, 2014 by DarciePotatoes are losing popularity as other starches, such as rice, become more favored (and presumably as many people cut out carbs from their diets). The Guardian reports that potato sales in England are down “by more than 8% during the past year as shoppers opted for alternatives.” It’s interesting to note that this doesn’t seem to reflect a conscious decision by shoppers – almost all consumers surveyed said that they were not aware that they had cut back.
The U.K. Potato Council is worried about this decline. Their recommendations for reversing the decline? Recipes and in-store promotions that show finished dishes: “Shoppers need distractions and better signposting. A lot of shoppers make an emotional connection when they see a potato in its prepared form, rather than as a raw vegetable.” One might think there are plenty of “distractions” in the grocery store already, but consumers should expect to see more signs in the potato bins featuring fluffy mashed or golden roasted potatoes. If we are lucky, they will include some samples for tasting as we shop.
Similar declines in spud purchases can be seen in Germany and North America, where “potato consumption has declined 12% in the past five years.” (This despite a per capita yearly consumption of 44 lbs (20 kilos) of french fries in the U.S.!) In most cases, both fresh and processed potatoes are on the decline, but in some places, such as Germany, overall consumption remains steady while fresh potato sales are going down.
Is your potato consumption declining? Do you attribute the downturn to the popularity of other starches such as rice or dietary concerns about carbs?
Photograph by Darcie Boschee
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