Table of Contents
Executive Summary
-
- Impact of COVID-19 on cooking/pasta sauces
-
- Figure 1: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on cooking/pasta sauces, 12 January 2020
- The market
- Cooking/pasta sauces boosted in 2020
-
- Figure 2: UK retail sales of cooking and pasta sauces, 2015-25 (prepared on 9 December 2020)
- All segments see growth in 2020
-
- Figure 3: UK retail sales of cooking/pasta sauces, by segment, 2018-20
- Spending under pressure as pandemic hits, EU trade deal avoids tariffs
- Ageing population and drop in the young threaten the market
- Companies and brands
- Dolmio retains lead; own-label outperforms the market
-
- Figure 4: Leading brands’ value shares in the UK retail ambient cooking and pasta sauces and marinades market, 2019/20*
- Dolmio moves into plant-based sauces; Napolina moves into frozen
- Sauce makers look to world cuisines for flavour innovation
- Adspend increases in 2020 with Dolmio leading spend
- Dolmio is seen most strongly as a family brand; Loyd Grossman leads on exclusivity
-
- Figure 5: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, November 2020
- The consumer
- 85% use cooking/pasta sauces, with non-chilled the most popular
-
- Figure 6: Types of cooking/pasta sauces used in the last three months, September 2020
- Low price is the number one factor influencing purchasing
-
- Figure 7: Factors influencing choice, September 2020
- Untapped interest in innovative flavours
-
- Figure 8: Reasons to pay more for a cooking/pasta sauce, September 2020
- Users are habitual in their choice of sauces
-
- Figure 9: Behaviours relating to cooking/pasta sauces, September 2020
- Consumers call for healthier sauces
-
- Figure 10: Attitudes towards cooking/pasta sauces, September 2020
Issues and Insights
-
- Consumers call for healthier sauces
- Premium sauces should look to recreate the restaurant experience in the home
- Meat reduction trend poses an opportunity for diversification in sauces
- Untapped interest in innovative flavours
The Market – Key Takeaways
-
- Cooking/pasta sauces boosted in 2020 due to COVID-19
- Income squeeze will affect sales going forward
- All segments see growth in 2020
- Spending under pressure as pandemic hits
- Ageing population and drop in the young threaten the market
Market Size and Forecast
-
- Impact of COVID-19 on cooking/pasta sauces
-
- Figure 11: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on cooking/pasta sauces, 12 January 2020
- Cooking/pasta sauces boosted in 2020
-
- Figure 12: UK retail sales of cooking and pasta sauces, 2015-25 (prepared on 9 December 2020)
- Income squeeze will affect sales going forward
- The impact of Britain’s EU departure
- Rise in home cooking benefits sauces
- Population changes threaten the market
-
- Figure 13: UK retail sales of cooking and pasta sauces, 2015-25 (prepared on 9 December 2020)
- Market drivers and assumptions
-
- Figure 14: Key drivers affecting Mintel’s market forecast, 2015-25 (prepared on 11 December 2020)
- Learnings from the last recession
-
- Figure 15: UK retail value sales of cooking/pasta sauces, 2008-12
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
-
- All segments see growth in 2020
-
- Figure 16: UK retail sales of cooking/pasta sauces, by segment, 2018-20
- Italian sauces remain the most popular
-
- Figure 17: UK retail sales of ambient wet and dry cooking and pasta sauces, by cuisine, 2018-20
Market Drivers
-
- Impact of the January 2021 lockdown
- Health is an issue
- Anti-obesity push could hit cooking and pasta sauces
- Incomes under pressure as pandemic hits the economy
- Unemployment rises and real incomes fall
-
- Figure 18: Annual percentage change in CPI and AWE (regular pay), monthly basis, January 2015-September 2020
- Affordable status of cooking/pasta sauces should support demand, limited impact from Britain’s EU departure
- Ageing population and drop in the young threaten the market
-
- Figure 19: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2015-20 and 2020-25
Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
-
- Dolmio retains lead; own-label outperforms the market
- Dolmio moves into plant-based sauces; Napolina moves into frozen
- Sauce makers look to world cuisines for flavour innovation
- Adspend increases in 2020 with Dolmio leading spend
- Dolmio is seen most strongly as a family brand; Loyd Grossman leads on exclusivity
Market Share
-
- Dolmio retains lead; Sharwood’s sees fastest growth
- Own-label outperforms the market
-
- Figure 20: Leading brands’ value sales and shares in the UK retail ambient cooking and pasta sauces and marinades market, 2018/19 and 2019/20
- Own-label continues dominance of chilled sauces
-
- Figure 21: Leading brands’ value sales and shares in the UK retail chilled sauces market, 2018/19 and 2019/20
Launch Activity and Innovation
-
- Brands step up NPD
-
- Figure 22: Share of new product launches in the cooking/pasta sauces market, by own-label vs branded, 2016-20
- Tesco leads NPD in 2020, expanding its Wicked Kitchen range and focusing on world cuisines
-
- Figure 23: Share of new product launches in the cooking/pasta sauces market, by top 10 companies, 2016-20
-
- Figure 24: Tesco targets different cuisines with sauces NPD, 2020
- Dolmio moves into plant-based sauces…
-
- Figure 25: Brands and own-labels tap into the plant-based/vegan trend, 2020
- …and launches Stand Against Hunger
- Napolina moves into frozen with sauce and pasta range
- …following rebrand
-
- Figure 26: Napolina moves into frozen sauces and rebrands, 2020
- Minority of sauces carry low/no/reduced fat/sugar/salt claims
-
- Figure 27: New product launches in the UK cooking/pasta sauces market, by the selected low/no/reduced claims, 2016-20
- Positive claims can appeal
-
- Figure 28: NPD with a blood pressure/cholesterol claim, 2019
- Significant interest in gut health
- Sauce makers continue to look to world cuisines for flavour innovation
- Less familiar Asian cuisines feature in 2020 launches
- Cooking sauces that are hard to cook at home hold wide appeal
-
- Figure 29: Sauces featuring new flavours, 2020
- Mild flavours could appeal to families
-
- Figure 30: Sauces with mild flavours, 2019
- Launches continue to emphasise provenance to denote quality
- Recent launches reference regional provenance and craft cues
-
- Figure 31: Sauces that are made in Italy or handmade, 2019-20
- Convenience is a selling point for sauces
-
- Figure 32: Launches that highlight convenience, 2020
- Homepride launches sauces for slow cooker
-
- Figure 33: Sauces that are suitable for a slow cooker/that have been slow cooked, 2020
- Few sauce makers look to cater to environmental concerns beyond recycling
- Pouches come under fire
-
- Figure 34: Loyd Grossman details recycling commitment on NPD, 2020
Advertising and Marketing Activity
-
- Adspend increases in 2020
-
- Figure 35: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure^ on cooking and pasta sauces, by month, 2019-20
- Mars is the top advertiser, supporting its Dolmio range
- Stand Against Hunger campaign
-
- Figure 36: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on cooking and pasta sauces, by top advertisers, 2019/20 (sorted by 2020)
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
Brand Research
-
- Brand map
-
- Figure 37: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, November 2020
- Key brand metrics
-
- Figure 38: Key metrics for selected brands, November 2020
- Brand attitudes: Dolmio is seen to offer good value
-
- Figure 39: Attitudes, by brand, November 2020
- Brand personality: Loyd Grossman stands out on exclusivity
-
- Figure 40: Brand personality – macro image, November 2020
- Dolmio is seen as a family brand
-
- Figure 41: Brand personality – micro image, November 2020
- Brand analysis
- Colman’s is seen to be the joint most trusted brand
-
- Figure 42: User profile of Colman’s, November 2020
- Patak’s is seen to be the most authentic brand
-
- Figure 43: User profile of Patak’s, November 2020
- Dolmio is the most popular brand
-
- Figure 44: User profile of Dolmio, November 2020
- Schwartz is seen to be the joint most innovative
-
- Figure 45: User profile of Schwartz, November 2020
- Sharwood’s is seen to be delicious
-
- Figure 46: User profile of Sharwood’s, November 2020
- Saclà is the least widely used brand
-
- Figure 47: User profile of Saclà, November 2020
- Loyd Grossman leads on indulgence and exclusivity
-
- Figure 48: User profile of Loyd Grossman, November 2020
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
-
- Rise in home cooking supports cooking sauces
- Price will remain important as incomes are squeezed; evenings in hold ongoing potential
- Untapped interest in innovative flavours
- Consumers call for healthier sauces
Impact of COVID-19 on Consumer Behaviour
-
- Health becomes more of a priority in the wake of the pandemic
-
- Figure 49: Those who say eating healthily is a higher priority as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, by gender and age, 2-11 November 2020
- Rise in home cooking supports cooking sauces
- Price will remain important as incomes are squeezed; evenings in hold ongoing potential
- Environmental concerns have not gone away
Usage of Cooking/Pasta Sauces by Type
-
- 85% use cooking/pasta sauces, with non-chilled the most popular
- Scratch cooking poses competition
-
- Figure 50: Types of cooking/pasta sauces used in the last three months, September 2020
- Only a minority use any individual type of cooking/pasta sauces weekly
-
- Figure 51: Frequency of using different types of cooking/pasta sauces, September 2020
- A minority have a wide repertoire of sauce types
-
- Figure 52: Repertoire of usage of different types of cooking/pasta sauces, September 2020
Purchasing of Cooking/Pasta Sauces in the COVID-19 Pandemic
-
- COVID-19 pandemic provides a boost to purchasing
-
- Figure 53: Purchasing of cooking/pasta sauces since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, September 2020
-
- Figure 54: Napolina pasta’s on-pack promotion for the brand’s pasta sauces, November 2020
Factors Influencing Choice
-
- Low price is the number one factor influencing purchasing
-
- Figure 55: Factors influencing choice, September 2020
- Healthier versions appeal to a third
- Opportunities for positive claims
- Recyclable packaging ranks low despite environmental awareness
Reasons to Pay More
-
- Untapped interest in innovative flavours
- Recognising family appeal of sauces
-
- Figure 56: Reasons to pay more for a cooking/pasta sauce, September 2020
- Tradition and provenance can help products to charge more
- Opportunities for recipes by chefs
Cooking/Pasta Sauces Behaviours
-
- Users are habitual in their choice of sauces
- Pushing new but familiar dishes
- Emerging cuisines offer a way to push trial
-
- Figure 57: Behaviours relating to cooking/pasta sauces, September 2020
- Recipe kits pose potential for sauce brands
Attitudes towards Cooking/Pasta Sauces
-
- Consumers call for healthier sauces
-
- Figure 58: Attitudes towards cooking/pasta sauces, September 2020
- Adding vegetables to improve nutrition
- Gut health is underexplored in sauces
- Premium sauces should look to recreate the restaurant experience in the home
- Home-cooked meals can compete with takeaways
- Meat reduction trend poses an opportunity for diversification in sauces
- Chilled versions would find favour with young people in the ABC1 group
-
- Figure 59: Agreement with the statement “Sauces well-suited for meat alternatives are appealing” – CHAID – tree output, September 2020
Qualities Associated with Cooking/Pasta Sauces
-
- Homemade versions are seen to be healthiest
- Shop-bought sauces stand out on convenience and versatility
-
- Figure 60: Correspondence analysis: qualities associated with chilled, non-chilled and home-made cooking and pasta sauces, September 2020
-
- Figure 61: Qualities associated with chilled, non-chilled and home-made cooking and pasta sauces, September 2020
- Methodology
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
-
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
- CHAID Methodology
-
- Figure 62: Cooking sauces and pasta sauces – CHAID – table output, September 2020
Appendix – Market Drivers
-
-
- Figure 63: Trends in body mass index (BMI), England, 1995-2018
- Figure 64: Trends in how respondents would describe their financial situation, January 2018-November 2020
-
Appendix – Market Share
-
-
- Figure 65: Leading manufacturers’ value sales and shares in the UK retail ambient cooking and pasta sauces and marinades market, 2018/19 and 2019/20
-
Appendix – Launch Activity and Innovation
-
-
- Figure 66: New product launches in the UK cooking/pasta sauces market, by brand, 2016-20
- Figure 67: New product launches in the UK cooking/pasta sauces market, by flavour component, 2016-20
-
- Figure 68: New product launches in the UK cooking/pasta sauces market, by package type, 2016-20
- Figure 69: New product launches in the UK cooking/pasta sauces market, by claim category, 2016-20
-
- Figure 70: New product launches in the UK cooking/pasta sauces market, by top 10 claims, 2016-20
-
Appendix – Advertising and Marketing Activity
-
-
- Figure 71: New product launches in the UK cooking/pasta sauces market, by claim category, 2016-20
-
Back to top