STUDY PROFILES CONSUMERS OF LUNCH MEAT

PAT NATSCHKELENIUS

CHICAGO -- Households in the Northeast with incomes above $50,000 are the heaviest purchasers of lunch meat from the service deli, while manufacturer-prepacked lunch meat is purchased most often by households with incomes under $30,000, with a younger female head of household, residing in all regions but the Northeast.

These were among the findings of a study sponsored by the National Pork Producers Council, Des Moines, Iowa, and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, here, and conducted by NPD Group, Rosemont, Ill.

The study found that ham, turkey and sliced beef skewed to households with higher incomes, often with a professional head, residing in the Northeast.

For ham, based on the pound index to total sample, household income was $50,000-plus; household size was three-plus, and often five-plus members; age of female head was slightly skewed to under 50; occupation of household head was blue collar and census region was Northeast.

Data was almost identical for turkey customers, except that the household head's occupation was professional.

For sliced beef, the household size was three to four members, age of female head was 35 to 49, and other data mirrored that for turkey.

Bologna was most often purchased by households with income under $15,000, with three-plus and especially five-plus members, female head under 35 years old, blue-collar occupation, residing in the Northeast and North Central regions.

Loaves were purchased most often by households with income under $15,000, with two members but also five-plus members, female head aged 50 to 64, blue collar, in the North Central region.

Dry salami, variety packs and all other salami appealed to customers with household income of $30,000 or higher. For dry salami and variety packs, household size was three-plus members and five-plus members, respectively; female head was aged 35 to 49 or under 35, respectively; and occupation of household head was professional, although blue-collar customers also bought dry salami. The census regions for dry salami were the Northeast and North Central, while customers in the West region purchased the variety packs. All other salami was purchased by households with five-plus members, with a female head aged 50 to 64, blue collar. in all regions except the South.

Liver sausage and liverwurst were purchased at average rates by households of all income levels; usually with two members; with a female head aged 65-plus; occupation clerical/sales, or retired; and residing in the Northeast.

Households buying chicken lunch meat had household income ranging from $15,000 to $29,999, with three-plus members but especially five-plus members, female head aged under 50, occupation in clerical/sales, and residing in the West.

Customers who bought lunch meat from the service deli counter, including store-label prepacked items, tended to skew heavily toward larger households in the Northeast, with income of $50,000 or more, household size of three to five-plus members, and age of female head ranging from 35 to 64.

Manufacturer-prepackaged lunch meat was found to appeal to all except the Northeast region, with the highest appeal in the West, with household income skewing toward $15,000 to $29,999, household size of three to five-plus, and age of female head under 35.

The Northeast region showed the highest penetration for total lunch meat. Other regions were average purchasers. Only one-fourth of households in the South and West regions were regular purchasers of lunch meat from the service deli counter, vs. more than 50% of households in the Northeast.

Manufacturer-prepacked lunch meat was purchased regularly by only 15% of households in the Northeast region, while the North Central, South and West regions exhibited above average purchasing of manufacturer-prepacked lunch meat.

Dinner sausage skewed toward larger households with three to four and especially five-plus members, with female head aged 50 to 64, and with incomes of $30,000 to $49,999, residing in the North Central region.

One-fourth of all households in the North Central region were regular purchasers of dinner sausage, while most other regions exhibited about average purchase behavior and the West showed the lowest penetration.

The study also broke down dinner sausage by types and their demographic appeal.

Smoked sausage appealed to households with income under $15,000, with five-plus members, female head aged under 35, blue collar, residing in the South.

Polish and hot sausage were purchased most often by households with income of $30,000 to $49,999, three-plus members, female head aged 50 to 64, average for both blue collar and professional occupation, and residing in the Northeast, although hot sausage also had a following in the South.

Italian sausage was preferred by consumers in the Northeast region, with income of $50,000-plus, with three-plus members but especially five-plus members, female head aged 35 to 49, and with a blue-collar household head.

Brat/Bratwurst was the dinner sausage favored by households with income of $30,000 to $49,999, but also $15,000 to $29,000, with three-plus members, a female head aged 35 to 49, blue collar, residing almost exclusively in the North Central region.

Breakfast sausage had its biggest following in the South, appealing to households with income under $15,000, household size of three to four but especially five-plus, and female head aged 50 to 64.

While the South showed the greatest preference for breakfast sausage, only the Northeast purchased at slightly below average rates.

The demographic profile for hot dog customers showed a household income of less than $15,000, household size of three to four but especially five-plus, age of female head under 35 and residence in the South. However, penetration for total hot dogs varied only slightly by region.

Beef-based hot dogs were preferred in households with income of $50,000-plus, with three-plus and especially five-plus members, with female head aged under 50, professional occupation, residing in the Northeast region. Both pork-based/meat combination and poultry-based hot dogs were purchased most often by households with income under $15,000, with three-plus and especially five-plus members, female head aged under 35, blue-collar occupation, residing in the South. The North Central region also showed a preference for pork-based/meat combination hot dogs.

Bacon's demographic profile was similar to that for breakfast sausage: selling best to lower-income households (under $15,000) in the South, with household size of three to four but especially five-plus members, and with the age of female head in the 50- to 64-years-old range.

The study found that almost one-third of all households in the South purchased bacon regularly, compared with less than 20% of those in the Northeast.

Low-fat processed meat products were found to appeal to households with higher incomes and a younger female head. Both low-fat manufacturer-prepacked lunch meat and low-fat lunch meat bought from the service deli counter appealed to households with income under $30,000, with three-plus but especially five-plus members, female head aged under 35, and blue-collar occupation for the head of household.

Manufacturer-prepacked low-fat lunch meat was most popular in the South and West regions, while low-fat lunch meat from the service deli prevailed in the Northeast among households with both blue-collar and professional occupations.

Hot dogs were favored by households with five-plus members, female head aged under 35, in the South. All income levels and occupations showed fairly average purchase behavior.

Low-fat poultry and sausage appealed to households with income of $50,000-plus, with three to four members, female head aged 35 to 49, professional occupation, in the Northeast region.