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As the new potato season starts, Potato Council is focusing
its efforts on increasing consumption amongst young families as part of its
summer ‘Love Potatoes’ campaign.
This follows fresh research, which highlights that while
the recession has seen consumers turn to potatoes to provide value for
money, it is the older generation who are driving this demand1,
accounting for 71% of the boiled potatoes market2. Meanwhile
young families are not only eating fewer potatoes than their parents, but
show little knowledge of the new potato season itself.
According to Kathryn Race, Potato Council marketing
director, this clearly shows the need for the industry to grow awareness and
demand across the young family group (busy mums aged between 25 and 45, with
children under the age of 11 years old).
Kathryn says: “Potato sales may be up in the
short-term, but it is the make-up of the market that is worrying.
Housewives aged over 45 account for 66%3 of the fresh potato
spend so winning the support of mums with young children is key if we
want the next generation to grow up loving the potato. If consumers are
not introduced to potatoes at an early age, the long term implications
for the industry could be significant.”
Four in five mums of young children questioned didn’t
know that the first British new potatoes are harvested in May, and 60
per cent said they had no idea where new potatoes are grown4.
In addition, over a third (35 per cent) of mums with young children
claimed the new potato season was not important to them5.
Kathryn continues: “Potato growers are a vital part of
the economy, but it’s clear from this research that young families don’t
understand about the work they do. The start of the asparagus and
strawberries seasons are celebrated nationwide, and we are encouraging
consumers to think of potatoes in the same way.”
What We’re Doing About It!
 Under the ‘Love Potatoes’
umbrella, Potato Council is investing in a comprehensive marketing campaign
that will demonstrate how potatoes help create simple easy dinners, at a
great price (13p a portion)6 while being healthy too (26kcals
each)7, perfect for meeting the needs of today’s busy mums.
Activity kicks-off with a national and regional press
campaign to educate families about the seasonality and locality of
potatoes, as well as informing families that potatoes are a simple
complement to many popular meals, which is where potatoes often lose out
to pasta.
Over the course of the summer months Potato Council
will also aim to facilitate a greater understanding between the industry
and young families by encouraging them to swap lives for a day! Potato
Council are looking for growers to volunteer to be ‘Me for a Day’ and
experience the issues affecting busy mums, and ultimately their shopping
and cooking habits.
In addition, a new range of easy and simple recipe
ideas are being rolled out. These will be demonstrated by Potato Council
at country shows and consumer events along with the key message that
‘Potatoes taste great, are nutritious and provide many simple and cheap
meal solutions!’ This combined with the hugely successful ‘Grow Your Own
Potatoes’ educational project will focus on getting the nation to ‘Love
Potatoes’ and ensure a healthy future for the industry.
Promotional tools are available for industry to use.
For more information or to volunteer for ‘Me for a Day’ visit
www.potato.org.uk and
www.britishpotatoes.co.uk or contact Ellie King
eking@potato.org.uk.
Data sources:
1 Whilst growth in potato consumption increased by 3% amongst female
shoppers aged 45-65 year old shoppers, growth amongst female 25-35 year olds
was slower at 1%. TNS 52 wks to end Nov 2008
2 Young families only amount for 15% of the boiled potatoes market,
while the retired make up 47% and ‘empty nesters’, whose children have left
home, a further 24%. Carbohydrate consumption Lifestage shares 2009 –
April 2009
3 TNS 52wks w/e 25th January 2009
4 Older people knew more about the new potato season and growing
regions. Only 12% of +56 year olds weren’t able to say when the season
begins and many could identify key growing regions (46% correctly named
Lincolnshire and 35% named Cornwall as two of the growing regions) compared
to 15% of mothers with young children who knew that potatoes were grown in
Cornwall and 13% in Lincolnshire.) The survey was conducted online
during May 2009 by OnePoll with 2,014 respondents
5 The survey was conducted online during May 2009 by OnePoll with
2,014 respondents
6 Based on five portions of new potatoes from a 1kg bag
7 Source: British Nutrition Foundation, based on an average 40g
portion of new potatoes
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