Alimentación salud y cultura - SANHISO C. International health and ...

AlimentAción, sAlud y culturA: encuentros interdisciplinAres
289
outset of the study. The impact of rationing was a predominant theme
during the focus group research, understandably because many of
those participants had first-hand experience of the later period of rationing.
The consensus was that when the rationing of meat ceased in
Britain the public were desperate to purchase this exclusive product.
Consumption of larger portions of meat denoted status, as it was only
the wealthy that could afford to purchase this expensive commodity
in any great quantity and so increased meat consumption became
aspirational. The status attributed to meat was something only identified
by the focus group participants and this may be because it is not
deemed as important among other generations however, it may also
be because it was not explicitly asked of other participants. Whether
younger generations view meat consumption as aspirational or not,
the data collected from focus group participants allows us to contextualise
and rationalise why certain behaviours may have begun and
how they have evolved over time.
The impact of intensive farming methods was also addressed as
a reason for increased consumption of meat and was believed to be
the cause of the decreasing cost of meat. This drop in price, coupled
with the attribution of status to meat post-rationing, would inevitably
result in an increased consumption, and so participants felt that many
people began to eat more meat during this period, simply ‘because
we could afford it’ (Female, aged 76+, Focus Group Participant).
The impact of cheap meat products is only too evident in today’s
society with mass-produced manufactured meat products being incredibly
affordable. For instance a packet of eight economy beef burgers
from Tesco costs only £0.79, equivalent to less than 10 pence per
burger (Tesco Groceries Website: 24/05/2011). A promotion which
has become commonplace in most major supermarkets in Britain today
is 3 for £10.00 on meat items, which includes items such as whole
chickens, beef mince and lamb or pork steaks. On the assumption that
each item were to yield four servings, although many products would
give more than this, each serving of un-processed meat would only
cost £0.83. Meat consumption is evidently easier and more accessible
now because of its affordable nature.