Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Products covered in this Report
- Ice cream
- Desserts
Executive Summary
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- The market
- The ice cream and desserts market bounces back
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- Figure 1: UK retail sales of ice cream and desserts, by value, 2012-22
- Sugar remains a controversial subject
- Ageing population continues to present a challenge
- Companies and brands
- Unilever brands continue to dominate ice cream
- Chilled and frozen desserts grow while ambient desserts struggle
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- Figure 2: Leading brand value sales in the ice cream and desserts market, 2016/17
- Adspend on ice cream and desserts falls back in 2016
- NPD activity in the category remains largely flat year-on-year
- The consumer
- Ice cream and desserts continue to enjoy wide popularity
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- Figure 3: Usage of ice cream and desserts, July 2017
- Healthier variants key to boosting usage
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- Figure 4: Factors which would encourage increased usage of ice cream and desserts, July 2017
- High quality ingredients are the best premium signal
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- Figure 5: Factors associated with premium ice cream and desserts, July 2017
- Multibuys appeal in desserts
- Almost three in five category users often eat desserts on evenings in
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- Figure 6: Behaviours relating to ice cream and desserts, July 2017
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Ice cream can tap into the protein craze
- The facts
- The implications
- Ice cream and desserts could find a place in lunchtime meal deals
- The facts
- The implications
- International inspiration appeals in ice cream and desserts
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- The ice cream and desserts market bounces back
- Ice cream remains in growth…
- …Due to the strong performance of handheld multipacks
- Dessert sales largely flat overall despite uneven segment performance
- Ageing population continues to present a challenge
- Sugar remains a controversial subject
- Discounters increase competition for brands and other multiples
Market Size and Segmentation
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- The ice cream and desserts market bounces back
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- Figure 7: Total UK retail sales of ice cream and desserts, by value, 2012-22
- Figure 8: UK retail sales of ice cream and desserts, by value, 2012-22
- Ice cream in growth in 2016-17
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- Figure 9: UK retail sales of ice cream, by value and volume, 2012-22
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- Figure 10: UK retail sales of ice cream, by value, 2012-22
- Figure 11: UK retail sales of ice cream, by volume, 2012-22
- Handheld multipacks drive ice cream’s growth
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- Figure 12: UK retail sales of ice cream, by type, by value and volume, 2014-17
- Overall dessert sales remain broadly flat
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- Figure 13: UK retail sales of desserts, by value and volume, 2012-22
- Figure 14: UK retail sales of desserts, by value, 2012-22
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- Figure 15: UK retail sales of desserts, by volume, 2012-22
- Chilled desserts forge ahead
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- Figure 16: UK retail sales of desserts, by type, by value and volume, 2012-17
- Figure 17: Proportion of UK value and volume retail sales of desserts, by segment, 2016
- Forecast methodology
Market Drivers
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- Sugar remains a controversial subject
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- Figure 18: Trends in body mass index (BMI), England, 1996-2015
- Discounters step up competition for brands and other multiples
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- Figure 19: Annual percentage change in CPI and AWE (regular pay), monthly basis, January 2012-May 2017
- Warmer periods can boost market sales
- The UK’s population is ageing
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- Figure 20: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2012-22
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Unilever brands continue to dominate ice cream
- Chilled desserts benefit from own-label/other brand growth while ambient desserts struggle
- Frozen desserts forge ahead
- Adspend on ice cream and desserts falls back in 2016
- NPD activity in the category remains largely flat year-on-year
Market Share
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- Unilever brands continue to dominate ice cream
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- Figure 21: Leading brands’ sales and shares in the UK ice cream retail market, by value and volume 2014/15-2016/17
- A strong performance from Häagen Dazs
- Chilled desserts benefit from own-label/other brand growth
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- Figure 22: Leading brands’ sales and shares in the UK chilled desserts retail market, by value and volume 2014/15-2016/17
- Ambient desserts continue to struggle
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- Figure 23: Leading brands’ sales and shares in the UK ambient desserts retail market, by value and volume 2014/15-2016/17
- Frozen desserts forge ahead
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- Figure 24: Leading brands’ sales and shares in the UK frozen desserts retail market, by value and volume 2014/15-2016/17
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- Adspend on ice cream and desserts falls back in 2016
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- Figure 25: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on ice cream and desserts, 2013-17
- Unilever slashed adspend by almost a third in 2016
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- Figure 26: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on ice cream and desserts, by top five companies, 2013-17
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- Figure 27: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on ice cream and desserts, by top five brands, 2013-17
- Figure 28: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on ice cream and desserts, by retailers, 2013-2017
- Magnum adspend falls away before rebounding in 2017
- Müller reduces its adspend in 2016…
- …But still focuses heavily on well-being and active consumers
- The large ice cream tub brands cut back in 2016
- Other notable advertising campaigns
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- NPD activity in the category remains largely flat year-on-year
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- Figure 29: Percentage share of NPD in the UK ice cream and desserts market, by segment, 2013-17*
- Retailers drive the NPD agenda
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- Figure 30: NPD in the UK ice cream and desserts market, by top 10 companies (sorted by 2016), 2013-17
- Ice cream tub brands react with their own NPD activity
- Shared mousses feature prominently in the desserts segment
- Health features prominently in NPD
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- Figure 31: NPD in the UK ice cream and desserts market, by leading claims (sorted by 2016), 2013-17
- Chocolate retains its popularity but coconut provides opportunities
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- Figure 32: NPD in the UK ice cream and desserts market, by leading flavours (sorted by 2016), 2013-17
Brand Research
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- Brand map
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- Figure 33: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, August 2017
- Key brand metrics
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- Figure 34: Key metrics for selected brands, August 2017
- Brand attitudes: Ambrosia and Müller Rice sit apart from the other brands
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- Figure 35: Attitudes, by brand, August 2017
- Brand personality: Häagen Dazs and Carte D’Or enjoy favourable perceptions
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- Figure 36: Brand personality – Macro image, August 2017
- The selected ice cream brands enjoy an array of positive connotations
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- Figure 37: Brand personality – Micro image, August 2017
- Brand analysis
- Ben & Jerry’s enjoys high levels of advocacy and brand satisfaction
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- Figure 38: User profile of Ben & Jerry’s, August 2017
- Häagen-Dazs is most likely to be seen as a premium, sophisticated brand
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- Figure 39: User profile of Häagen-Dazs, August 2017
- Carte D’Or tries to keep up with Ben & Jerry’s and Häagen Dazs
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- Figure 40: User profile of Carte D’Or, August 2017
- Gü’s premium credentials have scope for improvement
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- Figure 41: User profile of Gü, August 2017
- Ambrosia is seen as comforting but not special
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- Figure 42: User profile of Ambrosia, August 2017
- Müller Rice is seen as healthy and wholesome
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- Figure 43: User profile of Müller Rice, August 2017
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Ice cream and desserts continue to enjoy widespread popularity
- Healthier variants key to boosting usage
- High quality ingredients are the best shortcut to a premium positioning
- Multibuys could help to boost the desserts market
- Almost three in five category users often eat desserts for meals at home
Usage of Ice Cream and Desserts
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- Ice cream and desserts continue to enjoy widespread popularity
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- Figure 44: Usage of ice cream and desserts, July 2017
- Ice cream enjoys the most regular usage
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- Figure 45: Frequency of usage of ice cream, July 2017
- Desserts are not eaten as regularly as ice cream
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- Figure 46: Frequency of usage of desserts, July 2017
Boosting Usage of Ice Cream and Desserts
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- Healthier variants key to boosting usage
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- Figure 47: Factors which would encourage increased usage of ice cream and desserts, July 2017
- Natural ingredients and reduced calories also resonate
- Other factors also chime with a minority of category users
Defining Premium Ice Cream and Desserts
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- High quality ingredients denote a premium positioning
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- Figure 48: Factors associated with premium ice cream and desserts, July 2017
- Tasting the difference also key to justifying premium
- Luxurious packaging is another clear premium cue
Interest in Different Types of Ice Cream and Desserts
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- Multibuys could help to boost the desserts market
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- Figure 49: Interest in trying different types of ice cream and desserts, July 2017
- Meal deals also offer opportunities
- Consumer interest in trying new types of ice creams and desserts
- Less sweet flavours can win appeal among the older generation
Behaviours Relating to Ice Cream and Desserts
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- Almost three in five category users often eat desserts for meals at home
- Widespread interest in making sundaes at home
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- Figure 50: Behaviours relating to ice cream and desserts, July 2017
- Half of users prioritise transparent packaging in desserts
- Health considerations are also important
Attitudes towards Ice Cream and Desserts
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- Own-label variants widely seen as a credible alternative to brands
- Smaller portions widely seen to be preferable to cutting sugar
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- Figure 51: Attitudes towards ice cream and desserts, July 2017
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Forecast methodology
- Best and worst-case forecast data
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- Figure 52: Total UK retail value sales of ice cream and desserts, best- and worst-case forecast, 2017-22
- Figure 53: Total UK retail value sales of ice cream, best- and worst-case forecast, 2017-22
- Figure 54: Total UK retail volume sales of ice cream, best- and worst-case forecast, 2017-22
- Figure 55: Total UK retail value sales of desserts, best- and worst-case forecast, 2017-22
- Figure 56: Total UK retail volume sales of desserts, best- and worst-case forecast, 2017-22
Appendix – Market Share
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- Figure 57: Leading manufacturers’ sales and shares in the UK ice cream retail market, by value and volume 2014/15-2016/17
- Figure 58: Leading manufacturers’ sales and shares in the UK ambient desserts retail market, by value and volume 2014/15-2016/17
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- Figure 59: Leading manufacturers’ sales and shares in the UK frozen desserts retail market, by value and volume 2014/15-2016/17
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