Meat sales surged 77% the week of March 15 amid growing COVID-19 cases

Week ending March 8 saw a fast acceleration of meat sales in dollars, units and volume. As the number of school closures, social distancing guidelines and other COVID-19 related measures significantly sharpened the subsequent week, sales surged along with it. Thanks to the heroic efforts of everyone in the meat and poultry industry, the supply kept flowing. Retailers restocked their meat cases again and again as shoppers across the country stocked up on meat and poultry to feed their families nutritious meals.

Meat department sales without deli meat were up an incredible 76.9% over the week ending March 15, 2020 versus the comparable week in 2019, according to data insights firm IRI, and deli meat sales advanced 40.4%. Whether fresh beef, chicken, pork, turkey or lamb, smoked meats or deli meats, shoppers were in the market for it all. Thirteen weeks prior to March 15, IRI found the highest growth for fresh beef, at +3.7% and the lowest for fresh lamb, at +0.1%. Twelve weeks prior, beef growth jumped +9.8% and lamb +4.6%. During the week of March 15, turkey registered the highest growth nearly doubling dollar sales, at +96.1% and lamb increased sales by more than 50% as well. Beef and chicken, by far the largest categories, increased sales by $376 million and $183 million, respectively.