Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Products covered in this Report
- Excluded from this Report are:
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Value sales of cooking and pasta sauces continue to decline
- Inflation should help buoy value sales
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- Figure 1: Forecast of UK retail value sales of cooking and pasta sauces, 2013-23
- Declines seen in both ambient and chilled sauces
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- Figure 2: UK retail sales of cooking/pasta sauces, by segment, 2017-18
- Emerging cuisines remain a key growth area
- Sugar and salt remain in the spotlight
- Slow-down in kids’ population could challenge market
- Companies and brands
- Leading brands struggle in ambient sauces
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- Figure 3: Leading brands’ shares of value sales in the UK retail ambient cooking and pasta sauces market, 2017/18^
- Own-label tightens grip on chilled sauces
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- Figure 4: Leading brands’ shares of value sales in the UK retail chilled cooking and pasta sauces market, 2017/18^
- Brands launch natural and better-for-you options
- Uptick in pouch launches in 2018
- Adspend tumbles as companies pull the plug on TV
- Dolmio’s lead rooted in high levels of trust and strong family image
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- Figure 5: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, October 2018
- The consumer
- Four in five use cooking and pasta sauces
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- Figure 6: Frequency of using cooking and pasta sauces in the last three months, by type, September 2018
- A preference for scratch cooking is main barrier
- Concerns over ingredients are a barrier for many
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- Figure 7: Barriers to using cooking and pasta sauces, September 2018
- Health-boosting herbs and spices attract sizable interest
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- Figure 8: Interest in product concepts in cooking and pasta sauces, September 2018
- Protein trend extends to cooking and pasta sauces
- Scope to tap buzz around meat reduction
- Customisation of cooking and pasta sauces is popular
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- Figure 9: Further behaviours relating to cooking and pasta sauces, September 2018
- Advice on fish and seafood pairings interests many
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- Figure 10: Further behaviours relating to cooking and pasta sauces, September 2018
- Versatility is a strength of cooking pastes
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- Figure 11: Attitudes towards cooking and pasta sauces, September 2018
- Sauce kits enjoy authentic and healthier image
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- Figure 12: Further attitudes towards cooking and pasta sauces, September 2018
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Tackling concerns around ingredients is key priority for cooking and pasta sauces
- The facts
- The implications
- Brands need to push flavour innovation to take on own-label
- The facts
- The implications
- Deconstruction can help sauce brands deliver on authenticity and health
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Value sales of cooking and pasta sauces continue to decline
- Inflation should help buoy value sales
- Declines seen in both ambient and chilled sauces
- Emerging cuisines remain a key growth area
- Sugar and salt remain in the spotlight
- Slow-down in kids’ population could challenge market
Market Size and Forecast
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- Value decline continues
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- Figure 13: UK retail value sales of cooking and pasta sauces, 2013-23
- Inflation should help buoy value sales
- Health perceptions and the demographic shift remain key challenges
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- Figure 14: Forecast of UK retail value sales of cooking and pasta sauces, 2013-23
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
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- Decline felt by ambient wet and dry sauces
- Summer heatwave heats up marinades sales
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- Figure 15: UK retail sales of cooking/pasta sauces, by segment, 2016-18
- Emerging cuisines remain key growth area
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- Figure 16: UK retail sales of ambient wet and dry cooking and pasta sauces, by cuisine, 2016-18
Market Drivers
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- Spotlight lingers on sugar
- New salt reduction targets on the cards
- Two in five mainly cook from scratch for evening meals…
- …but prepared products are holding their own
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- Figure 17: Type of evening meal cooked/prepared most often in the household, April 2018
- World cuisines continue to attract interest
- Key carbs enjoy volume growth
- Slow-down in kids’ population could challenge market
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- Figure 18: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2013-23
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Leading brands struggle in ambient sauces
- Own-label tightens grip on chilled sauces
- Brands launch natural and better-for-you options
- Uptick in pouch launches in 2018
- Adspend tumbles as companies pull the plug on TV
- Dolmio’s lead rooted in high levels of trust and strong family image
Market Share
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- Leading ambient sauce brands struggle
- Dolmio maintains lead
- Loyd Grossman and Homepride see declines
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- Figure 19: Leading brands’ value sales and shares in the UK retail ambient cooking and pasta sauces market, 2016/17 and 2017/18
- Own-label and smaller brands gain share
- Own-label tightens grip on chilled sauces
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- Figure 20: Value sales and shares in the UK retail chilled cooking and pasta sauces market, by brands and own label, 2016/17 and 2017/18
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Product revamps grow share of launches
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- Figure 21: Share of new product launches in the UK retail cooking and pasta sauce market, by launch type, 2014-18
- Natural and better-for-you a focus in NPD
- Dolmio ramps up vegetable content with Veggie Goodness range
- Napolina launches 100% natural Passata Sauces
- Loyd Grossman adds no added sugar variants
- Colman’s unveils better-for-you seasoning blends to appeal to new users
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- Figure 22: Better-for-you cooking and pasta sauce launches in the UK, 2018
- FODMAP-friendly sauces enter UK market
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- Figure 23: FODMAP cooking and pasta sauce launches in the UK, 2018
- Pouch launches rise in 2018
- Pouches attract new brands…
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- Figure 24: Cooking and pasta sauce launches in stand-up pouches in the UK, 2018
- …as well as seeing range extensions
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- Figure 25: Share of new product launches in the UK retail cooking and pasta sauce market, by packaging format, 2014-18
- Nando’s launches Peri-Peri Bag & Bake
- New paste products enter market
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- Figure 26: Nando’s Bag & Bake launch and cooking paste launches in the UK, 2018
- Epicure announces globally-inspired pesto range
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- Adspend tumbles as companies pull the plug on TV
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- Figure 27: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on cooking sauces, by TV and other media spend, 2014-18
- Mars is main driver of category visibility
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- Figure 28: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on cooking sauces, by top 5 advertisers (sorted by 2017), 2014-18
- Dolmio focuses on ‘No drama’ family meals…
- …brings ceasefire to ‘The Battle of Dinnertime’
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- Figure 29: Dolmio ‘The Battle of Dinnertime’, September 2018
- Blue Dragon emphasise authenticity through a culinary journey
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- Figure 30: Blue Dragon ‘Keep exploring, January 2018
- Patak’s partners with Jamie Oliver for social media campaign
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- Figure 31: Patak’s social media campaign with Jamie Oliver, April 2018 and November 2018
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
Brand Research
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- Brand map
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- Figure 32: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, October 2018
- Key brand metrics
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- Figure 33: Key metrics for selected brands, October 2018
- Brand attitudes: Dolmio and Schwartz are most trusted
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- Figure 34: Attitudes, by brand, October 2018
- Brand personality: Accessibility is a shared strength of the brands
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- Figure 35: Brand personality – Macro image, October 2018
- Blue Dragon and Sharwood are seen as most authentic
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- Figure 36: Brand personality – Micro image, October 2018
- Brand analysis
- Schwartz has highest levels of recommendation and usage in the last year
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- Figure 37: User profile of Schwartz, October 2018
- Blue Dragon has a lead as fun and authentic
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- Figure 38: User profile of Blue Dragon, October 2018
- Sharwood’s enjoys high awareness, but struggles to stand out
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- Figure 39: User profile of Sharwood’s, October 2018
- Napolina has a lead on natural and healthy
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- Figure 40: User profile of Napolina, October 2018
- Dolmio’s lead rooted in high levels of trust and strong family image
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- Figure 41: User profile of Dolmio, October 2018
- Homepride has a traditional, family image
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- Figure 42: User profile of Homepride, October 2018
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Four in five use cooking and pasta sauces
- A preference for scratch cooking is main barrier
- Concerns over ingredients are a barrier to many
- Health-boosting herbs and spices attract sizable interest
- Protein trend extends to cooking and pasta sauces
- Scope to tap buzz around meat reduction
- Customisation of cooking and pasta sauces is popular
- Advice on fish and seafood pairings interest many
- Versatility is a strength of cooking pastes
- Sauce kits enjoy authentic and healthier image
Usage of Cooking and Pasta Sauces
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- Four in five use cooking and pasta sauces
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- Figure 43: Usage of cooking and pasta sauces in the last three months, September 2018
- Non-chilled sauces are most popular
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- Figure 44: Frequency of using cooking and pasta sauces in the last three months, by type, September 2018
- Competition from scratch-cooked sauces remains strong…
- ...underpinned by demand for naturalness…
- …and efforts to save money…
- …though most people use several sauce types
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- Figure 45: Repertoire of types of cooking and pasta sauces used in the last three months, September 2018
Barriers to Using Cooking and Pasta Sauces
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- A preference for scratch cooking is main hurdle
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- Figure 46: Barriers to using cooking and pasta sauces, September 2018
- Guidance is needed to encourage dish experimentation
- Ingredients concern is barrier to many
- L/N/R sugar and salt claims remain rare
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- Figure 47: Examples of low-sugar cooking and pasta sauce launches in the UK, 2018
- Meeting PHE salt target should help tackle consumer concerns
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- Figure 48: Homepride highlighting compliance with the 2017 Salt Reduction Targets, 2018
- Demand for all-natural ingredients can tackle concern over artificialness
Interest in Cooking and Pasta Sauce Concepts
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- Health-boosting herbs and spices attract sizable interest
- Flagging up herbs and spices should give brands a means to tap interest
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- Figure 49: Examples of turmeric launches in the UK cooking sauce and soup markets, 2017-18
- Figure 50: Interest in product concepts in cooking and pasta sauces, September 2018
- Protein garners interest also in cooking and pasta sauces
- High-protein examples found in Europe
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- Figure 51: Examples of turmeric launches in the UK and European cooking and pasta sauce market, 2017-18
- Scope for category to tap into buzz around meat reduction
- Meat reduction has had a rising profile in recent years
- Interest in meat-free advice and sauces that complement meat alternatives
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- Figure 52: Examples of UK cooking sauces suggesting meat-free recipe swaps, 2018
Behaviours Relating to Cooking and Pasta Sauces
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- Customisation of cooking and pasta sauces is popular
- Ideas for giving sauces a twist while cooking should appeal
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- Figure 53: Behaviours relating to cooking and pasta sauces, September 2018
- Scrutiny of ingredients and nutrients is commonplace
- Advice on fish and seafood pairings interest many
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- Figure 54: Examples of UK Schwartz recipe mixed featuring advice for replacing chicken with fish, 2018
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- Figure 55: Further behaviours relating to cooking and pasta sauces, September 2018
Attitudes towards Cooking and Pasta Sauces
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- Versatility is a strength of cooking pastes
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- Figure 56: Attitudes towards cooking and pasta sauces, September 2018
- Brands struggle to prove tangible difference from own-label
- Brands trail behind on value perceptions
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- Figure 57: Instant reaction and purchase intent towards branded and own-label liquid cooking and pasta sauces, April-October 2018
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- Figure 58: Perceptions of branded and own-label liquid cooking and pasta sauces, April-October 2018
- Sauce kits enjoy positive image
- Scope for brands to explore passata kits
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- Figure 59: Further attitudes towards cooking and pasta sauces, September 2018
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
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- Figure 60: Total UK retail value sales of cooking and pasta sauces, best- and worst-case forecast, 2018-23
Appendix – Market Share
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- Figure 61: Leading manufacturers’ value sales and shares in the UK retail cooking and pasta sauces market, 2016/17 and 2017/18
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Appendix – Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Figure 62: Share of new product launches in the UK retail cooking and pasta sauce market, by type, 2014-18
- Figure 63: Share of new product launches in the UK retail cooking and pasta sauce market, by branded and own-label, 2014-18
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- Figure 64: Share of new product launches in the UK retail cooking and pasta sauce market, by top 10 companies (sorted by 2017), 2014-18
- Figure 65: Top 10 claims used by new product launches in the UK retail cooking and pasta sauce market, 2014-18
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- Figure 66: Share of launches in the UK retail cooking and pasta sauce market featuring selected natural and ingredient claims, 2014-18
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Appendix – The Consumer
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- Figure 67: Attribute performance ratings of branded liquid cooking and pasta sauces compared to own-label liquid cooking and pasta sauces, April-October 2018
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