“In today’s health-conscious and convenience-led marketplace, if you haven’t got a healthy and convenient product, you are on to a loser,” says Kathryn Race of the BPC. “Eighty-two per cent of consumers believe that potatoes are healthy, which is extremely positive. But, even positive messages must be maintained.
“Messages sustained through a PR campaign have a significant impact on consumers. Our research has shown us that awareness drops back when a campaign finishes and that the educational messages need to be constant.”
Despite the overwhelming belief that potatoes fit into the healthy category, there is still, for instance, a widely-held perception that potatoes are fattening. “We do a lot of work with consumers to ensure that misconceptions like these are put right. It is crucial that this work is carried right through to the retail fixture.
“The industry must aim to pull together all of the attributes of the product; its flexibility and many uses; the wide range of varieties; its convenience, and offer the consumer a solution that suits them. It took a long time for the industry to change its mindset, altering packaging sizes and segmenting its offer. But it is happening now and it will have a gradual, but significant effect on the potato category.”
Race cites the innovative promotional work done by individual potato growers to support their Rooster and Vivaldi brands in the next 12 months as good examples of using a uniform message to drive sales across the category. “These varieties are being asked for by name. They are giving consumers the inspiration they are looking for.”
Colourful, attractive and informative packaging can also play a big role, particularly if the three are combined effectively. Looking further afield, says Race, “in New Zealand, Home Farm managed to increase sales by 10 per cent simply by using packaging with pictures of the end meal on the bag. And within the segmentation of the category, it has been shown that new packaging can increase sales by as much as 33 per cent, when it adds value to the consumer in some way.”
The following five pages look at various initiatives put in place by the BPC to promote and educate, excite and infiltrate the minds of the British consumer about home-grown spuds.
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