Early results also indicate that more than half of the UK population (52%) – 34 million people – saw the adverts through a blend of TV, digital and online advertising activity , which promoted pork fillet and loin steaks and medallions.

The campaign ran for six weeks in the autumn, with TV adverts pulling in millions during top shows like the X-Factor, Great British Bake Off and Coronation Street, which called consumers to ‘break-up with boring’ and bring pork into their mid-week meals.

Efforts to reach younger shoppers also produced results, with Pick Pork led recipes and videos viewed more than 1.6 million times on social media and online channels, with online food influencers including Hari Ghotra, The Dumpling Sisters and family orientated foodies Taming Twins and A Mummy Too sharing recipes.

AHDB’s Head of Meat Marketing, Liam Byrne, managed the latest phase of the £2.5 million campaign. He said: “We set out to put more pork on plates through the week, giving consumers confidence to cook easy and delicious recipes. Our early results show a significant number of buyers are choosing pork loin medallions, with almost a 40 per cent increase compared to the previous period.

“Major supermarkets' and independent butchers' support during the Pick Pork campaign was invaluable, and placing adverts through video on demand has helped us reach an extra 3.4 million consumers.”

As part of the board that reviewed the campaign, AHDB Pork Chairman Mike Sheldon, said: “A lot of pride and hard work goes into making sure the pork we produce is top quality, and the AHDB Pork Board ensures that all that commitment is translated into eye-catching consumer campaigns.

“The results of the latest Pick Pork campaign demonstrate – with inspiration and the right choice of cuts – consumers are interested in having pork as part of a healthy diet. It’s encouraging to see that younger consumers have connected with social media and online pork advertising initiatives too – so we’re reaching the next generation of shoppers.”

Deeper results on pork marketing activity are being scrutinised and the next phase of the three-year campaign will get underway early in 2019.

To view the ‘Pick Pork’ adverts visit lovepork.co.uk/collections/pick-pork and recipes are also included on the site.