California Raisins has launched a new consumer advertising campaign in the UK in an attempt to shore up its market share following recent retail price rises in some cases by as much as 30 per cent.
Admitting that the price increases had “caused concern” among UK buyers as to how demand may be affected, the group said it was launching the fresh publicity drive to “help consumers understand that California Raisins still represent incredible value when compared with some other dried and fresh fruit”.
California Raisin’s European marketing director, Peter Meadows, said: “Following the announcement of the price increases late last year, we’ve worked very hard to try and help retailers and their customers to appreciate what excellent value raisins still provide.”
Mr Meadows said the prices rises had taken place after the US raisin sector elected to remove the grower funded Export Replacement Offer (ERO) in October 2010, which effectively provided a subsidy for raisin exports.
He said the mechanism’s removal has since caused prices to rise to unprecedented levels and caused concern among key British retailers over the increase’s possible affect on consumers.
“While the California Raisin industry kept us fully up to date as to why the increases took place, it doesn’t mean that consumer demand will remain at the level it was prior to these price increases” said a spokesperson from one of the major national UK retailers.
The new advertising campaign will be aimed at over 5m core consumers across 12 publications and six online advertising banners. The target audience will be women aged 25-50, parents with pre-and primary school children and health conscious adults.
In addition to the general facts about California Raisins, the campaign will also offer a free 12 page booklet to encourage consumers to use and experiment with California Raisins and show how they can use the product within a variety of meals.
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