BASC has been promoting game as a healthy, sustainable and highly nutritious food source since the WAGBI recipe books were first produced, probably since around the mid 1960’s.

BASC’s game marketing initiative, Game’s On was launched in 2005 and since then has created a first class web portal and a distributed over 150,000 high quality recipe leaflets through a network of game fairs, game tasting events and through game dealers and their customers.

Since the launch of the Game’s On initiative, the sales of game doubled between 2004 and 2006. Sales for game meat such as venison, pheasant and grouse soared 46% during that time to reach £57 million by the end of 2006. The increase in sales of everyday red meat and poultry grew by only 5% in comparison.

The popularity of game shows no sign of abating with sales set to rise by a further 47% to hit over £84 million by 2011. (Data source Mintel – Game and Exotic meat – UK – February 2007).

The growth in the popularity of game meat will be further enhanced with the change in the game laws in 2006 that allows game meat to be sold year round as long as it has been legally shot. This may well encourage more of the multiple retailers to sell more game more often during the year.

The Game’s On campaign has 3 main objectives -

• To continue playing a significant role in encouraging the consumption of game meat and to demonstrate how BASC is making an important and positive contribution.
  
• To encourage our members and all those who shoot, to play an active role in assisting in the promotion and the consumption of game meat through their own activities and networks.
  
• Work to change attitudes toward the consumption of game meat through a range of initiatives, which will include game tastings targeted at non - shooting audiences.