The convenience of pre-washed, pre-cut, bagged salads has helped boost the bagged salads since 1998. The product may have revolutionized the produce aisles of the supermarket as more prepared vegetables (diced onions, chopped celery) have started to appear alongside bagged salads, suggesting to consumers that they can have a wider variety of vegetables for cooking or sandwich making with very little work. Salad toppings – from shredded cheese to bacon bits and croutons – have also vied for shelf space in the produce section, along with refrigerated dressings, shelf stable dressings, and other salad accessories, making this heavily trafficked area of the supermarket also one of the most crowded. At the same time, interest in salad greens has led to a greater interest in salad dressings, which is in a way a paradox – salad greens represent one of the healthiest and lowest-fat foods in the entire supermarket, while the majority of salad dressings contain high levels of fat, since they are made with oil. Sales of bagged salad greens grew 16.5% between 2001 and 2003, from $2.7 to $3.2 billion while sales of salad dressings grew 4.6%, from $1.6 billion to $1.7 billion during the same period.

This report examines the pre-washed, bagged salad segment, which has expanded to include bagged spinach and bagged, but uncut, lettuce as well as a wide array of organic and non-organic bagged salads, combined with exotic lettuce (radicchio, frisee) and a variety of other precut vegetables (carrots, radish, celery). The report also examines changes in the salad dressing aisle, which has seen the ubiquitous French, Italian, and Thousand Island begin to share shelf space with balsamic vinegar, raspberry vinaigrette, and sun dried tomato dressing. Original consumer research examines attitudes and behavior by age, gender, ethnicity and income, and a six-year trend analysis predicts future growth.

The report does not include other fresh vegetables that may be pre-washed, bagged, and ready to eat, such as baby carrots. It also excludes other pre-cut, bagged vegetables and vegetable blends such as diced onions, mire-poix (diced onions, celery, and carrots), or sliced onions and green peppers. Also excluded are all other vegetables in the produce department (e.g. unwashed lettuce or bulk spinach) and any preserved, canned, frozen, or dehydrated/dried vegetables.

The report also excludes: olive oil (plain or flavored), vinegar (plain or flavored), seasonings, mayonnaise, other oils (e.g. canola, corn, vegetable), and other ingredients that may be used to make a salad dressing.

This report includes IRI InfoScan data.

A number of U.S. reports covering related sectors have been published, are planned, or are in preparation, including:

1. Meal Kits—U.S., consumer intelligence, May 2004
2. Oils and Fats—U.S., consumer intelligence, March 2004
3. Nuts & Dried Fruit—U.S., consumer intelligence, February 2004
4. Seasonings—U.S., consumer intelligence, February 2004
5. Side Dishes—U.S., consumer intelligence, October 2002
6. Organic Foods—U.S., consumer intelligence, June 2002
7. Salad and Salad Accompaniments—U.S., consumer intelligence, January 2002
8. Table Sauces—U.S., consumer intelligence, January 2002