WASHINGTON – When comparing the 52 weeks ending Dec. 26, 2010, to the previous 52 weeks, fresh chicken sales in supermarkets increased 1.4%, FreshLookData stated. The March 18 edition of the National Chicken Council’s Washington Report relayed the data added that in 2010, total fresh chicken sales were $7,494,823,290. Beef sales were up 1.1% to $16,600,490,918 and pork advanced 1.0% to $6,236,681,542.

Turkey registered the strongest gain in sales of the primary meats in 2010 with a 2.1% increase to $1,748,983,964. Combined poultry and meat sales totaled $32,688,718,957, a 1.3% increase over 2009.


Chicken was the only category of major meats in 2010 to sustain a gain in pounds with an increase of 1.1%. Beef lbs. fell 1.3%, pork slipped 3.9%, and turkey dropped 1.7%. Last year, total poultry and meat tonnage was 12,045,749,602 lbs., a 1.1% decrease.

Last year, chicken registered the most modest increase in its average retail price with a 0.3% increase to $2.02 per lb. Beef average retail price was $3.63 per lb., up 2.5%. However, the average retail price for pork was $2.46 per lb., a 5.2% increase. Last year, the average actual price for turkey was $1.62, a 3.9% increase.

Regarding share of advertising space in the supermarket flyers in 2010, beef continued to be the lead item with 43.61% of the total advertising space, up 0.6%. Chicken gained 0.6%over 2009 to account for 22.47% of total advertising space. Pork, with a 1.3% drop to 24.55%, was the only category to loose share. Totaling 6.16% in 2010, turkey’s share was unchanged from 2009.