Increasing numbers of shoppers are recognising the EBLEX Quality Standard Mark (QSM) and are prepared to pay more for beef and lamb carrying the logo. This is according to the latest independent survey conducted by Forum Qualitative and published by the English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX).

Beefy and Lamby TV advertising campaign

Less than two years on from the consumer launch of the Quality Standard Mark, the 2006 QSM Brand Survey showed that 58% of shoppers interviewed claimed to recognise the QSM from a basket of food and non-food logos.  This is an increase of 8% on last year.

The same independent survey showed that 68% of respondents associated the QSM logo with either 'good quality' or 'quality assurance standards', and that 54% said they would be willing to pay more for QSM beef and lamb.

In addition, 88% of shoppers questioned were aware of the Beefy and Lamby TV advertising campaign.

These findings follow a separate EBLEX audit of its non-advertising promotional spend on QSM activity in 2005/06.  This found a 1:36 return on investment - that every £1 spent produced a media value of £36.

Promotional spend on Tuck-In, which is recipe-based promotional material for independent retailers and butchers, showed a 1:26 return on EBLEX investment.  Both figures compare to an industry average of around 1:10.

"This is encouraging news for English levy payers," said EBLEX Chief Executive Richard Ali. "It shows the EBLEX objective of differentiating QSM beef and lamb from commodity product is starting to take hold, and that consumer understanding of the QSM is growing, along with a willingness from consumers to pay more for product carrying the logo."

The latest phase of the QSM campaign featured a new series of Beefy and Lamby press ads focusing on the provenance, traceability and quality specification of QSM beef and lamb.

These were run alongside a September TV screening of the Beefy and Lamby commercials, and a new on-line QSM ad campaign on selected internet sites.

The survey results are available online at www.eblex.org.uk.

EBLEX is an industry-funded statutory organisation that acts to help the English beef and lamb industry boost its competitiveness and promote its products.

It aims are:

• To encourage better returns for the English beef and lamb industry
• To stimulate a profitable demand for quality beef and lamb
• To champion the development of a sustainable industry through improved profitability.

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