• March 11, 2009

U.S. peanut butter sales continued to fall in February, although not as steeply as in January, according to just-released Nielsen data.

Sales of jarred peanut butter fell 2.3% to $87.2 million in food/drug/mass stores (including Walmart) during the four weeks ending Feb. 21 compared to the same period last year.

This was on top of a 3.8% sales decline (to $72.5 million) in the four weeks ending Jan. 24, compared to that same period in 2008.

In terms of pounds sold in jars, February sales were down 13.3% to 41.8 million, the worst performance seen in three years of tracking.

Prior to the peanut scare, peanut butter had seen eight consecutive periods of double-digit growth. Although most peanut butter brands were not subject to the product recalls caused by salmonella-contaminated peanuts from Peanut Corporation of America, it will take time for consumers to recognize the safety of most jarred peanut butters, noted Neilsen SVP Todd Hale.--Karlene Lukovitz