overview
The database contains monthly average retail price data for selected cuts of red meat and poultry, based on electronic supermarket scanner data. While not based on a random sample, the raw data underlying the database are from supermarkets across the United States that account for approximately 20 percent of U.S. supermarket sales.

feature
The April 2003 AmberWaves data feature contains a few examples on how meat prices respond to featuring and season.

data files
Colorado State University's Livestock Market Information Center (LMIC) now houses the retail scanner prices for meat database, including standard tables, the searchable database, and documentation.

An overview and documentation of the database also are available on the ERS website.

Only random-weight items that are species-specific and sold in the fresh meat department of traditional supermarkets are included in the database. Multi-species items, canned meats, products containing meat (such as frozen dinners), and deli products are not included. Although most bacon and sausage are sold in fixed-weight packages, the database does contain information on random-weight bacon and sausage.

release date
LMIC updates are planned for the 20th of the month, or the closest business day. The data have a 2-month reporting lag; that is, prices for May are reported in July.

background
Legislation passed in 1999 mandates collection of retail meat prices, and reflects in part concerns about the effects of industry concentration on prices and reduced bargaining power of independent livestock producers. Although the Bureau of Labor Statistics collects retail prices on some of the same cuts of meat, the ERS database includes price data on more cuts, information on volumes sold, and the discount effects of featuring.

ERS continues to use BLS prices to calculate meat price spreads from farm to wholesale and from farm to retail. However, users can compute alternative price spreads using the meat retail scanner price data.

definitions
Item groupings by scanner data category gives examples of individual meat cuts that are in the scanner data categories (in *.xls format).

Scanner and BLS categories match BLS meat categories to the corresponding category in the retail scanner data (in *.xls format).

Definitions for the volume index, random-weight items, and other terms related to scanner data and meat prices.

questions and answers
Answers to questions such as: Which stores are included in the reporting of supermarket scanner data? How are data weighted to arrive at a national average price?

related briefing rooms
Food marketing and price spreads
Cattle
Hogs
Poultry

related resources
BLS consumer price indexes

for more information, contact: Leland Southard or William Hahn
web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov
page updated: October 20, 2004