Table of Contents
Introduction and Abbreviations
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- Definitions
- Geographical, national and regional definitions
- Conversion factors
- Exchange rates
- BMRB Target Group Index sample sizes
- Abbreviations
- User group definitions
Executive Summary
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- Irish ready meals market worth some €171 million
- Social factors attributed to growth levels
- Chilled cabinet driving market growth in ready meals sector
- Healthy options
- Demand for convenience
- International/ethnic cuisine
- Steady demand for meat-based dishes
- Instant snack meals
- Persuasion of advertising
- Multiples dominating convenience foods sector
- Higher penetration of ready meals among females
- Future growth ruled by lifestyles and dietary tastes
Market Drivers
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- Northern Ireland economy
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- Figure 1: Economic outlook, NI, 2002-04
- Republic of Ireland economy
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- Figure 2: Economic outlook, RoI, 2002-04
- Population changes
- NI
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- Figure 3: Demographics, NI, 1998, 2002 and 2007
- RoI
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- Figure 4: Demographics, RoI, 1997, 2002 and 2007
- The changing role of women
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- Figure 5: Workforce in employment by gender, NI & RoI, 2003
- The demise of the family meal
- Rise in the number of one- and two-person households
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- Figure 6: Number of adults per household, NI & RoI, 2002-03
- Health warnings
- Healthy options
- Ethnic foods/international cuisine
- Product differentiation
- Increase in the number of vegetarians
- Higher disposable income
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- Figure 7: Personal disposable income per capita at current prices (euros), 1995-2002, RoI, NI and UK
- Extensive freezer and microwave ownership
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- Figure 8: Microwave oven, refrigerator and freezer ownership, NI & RoI, 2003
- Increasing sophistication of the chilled chain
- Trend towards lighter meals
- Convenience
Market Size and Trends
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- Figure 9: Retail sales of ready meals, all-Ireland, 1998-2003
- Republic of Ireland
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- Figure 10: Retail sales of ready meals, RoI, 1998-2003
- Northern Ireland
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- Figure 11: Retail sales of ready meals, NI, 1998-2003
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Market Segmentation
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- Republic of Ireland
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- Figure 12: Retail sales of ready meals, by sector, RoI, 2003*
- Figure 13: Retail value sales of ready meals, by sector, RoI 2003*
- Northern Ireland
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- Figure 14: Retail sales of ready meals, by sector, NI, 2003*
- Figure 15: Market share of ready meals by sector, NI, 2003
- The chilled sector
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- Figure 16: Market split of chilled sector, RoI 2003
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- Figure 17: Value brand share of chilled ready meals, RoI, 2003*
- Frozen sector
- Ambient sector
The Supply Structure
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- Companies and brands
- Carrolls Meats
- Clayton Love Distribution
- Dawn Fresh Foods
- Dunnes Stores
- Findus Ltd
- Golden Vale PLC
- Goldstar Meats
- Green Isle Foods
- HJ Heinz
- Kerry Foods
- Marks & Spencer
- Masterfoods Ireland
- McColgan Quality Foods
- Nestlé
- RHM Frozen Foods
- Sainsbury’s
- Superquinn
- Supervalu
- Tesco
- The Country Cooking Company
- Unilever Bestfoods
- Other players
Advertising and Promotion
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- Figure 18: Main monitored media advertising expenditure on ready meals, by brand, €, RoI, 2003
- Figure 19: Advertising expenditure per brand, £, NI, 1999-2003
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Distribution
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- Figure 20: Major grocery multiples and symbol group retailers in NI & RoI, 1998 and 2001
- Supermarket multiples
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- Figure 21: Supermarket multiples, by number of outlets, RoI and NI, 2002
- Symbol groups
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- Figure 22: Symbol groups, by number of outlets, RoI and NI, 2002
- Petrol stations/convenience stores
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- Figure 23: Number of forecourts, by main operators, all-Ireland, 2000
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The Consumer
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- 25-34-year-olds show highest percentage of heavy users
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- Figure 24: Penetration and weight of usage of ready meals in last 12 months, by demographic sub-group, NI, 2002
- Frequency of ready meal consumption
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- Figure 25: Usage levels of ready meals, by demographic sub-group, NI, 2002
- Light users in RoI have highest penetration levels of ready meals
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- Figure 26: Penetration and weight of usage of ready meals, by demographic sub-group, RoI, 2002
- Frequency of ready meals usage in RoI
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- Figure 27: Usage levels of ready meals, by demographic sub-group, RoI, 2002
- Users of instant snack meals
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- Figure 28: Penetration and weight of usage of instant snack meals, by demographic sub-group, NI, 2002
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- Figure 29: Usage levels of instant snack meals, by demographic sub-group, NI, 2002
- Medium users susceptible to instant snacking
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- Figure 30: Penetration and weight of usage of instant snack meals, by employment status, NI, 2002
- RoI usage trends
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- Figure 31: Penetration and weight of usage of instant snack meals, by demographic sub-group, RoI, 2002
- Frequency of usage of instant snack meals in RoI
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- Figure 32: Weight of usage of instant snack meals, by demographic sub-group, RoI, 2002
- RoI user types
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- Figure 33: Weight of usage of instant snack meals, by employment status, RoI, 2002
- Growing trend towards foreign food
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- Figure 34: Attitudes towards food, by demographic sub-group, NI, 2002
- Experimentation of new food products in RoI
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- Figure 35: Attitudes towards food, by demographic sub-group, RoI, 2002
- Convenience a contributing factor
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- Figure 36: Further attitudes towards food, by demographic sub-group, NI, 2002
- Fragmented meal times
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- Figure 37: Eating habits, by demographic sub-group, NI, 2002
- Figure 38: Eating habits, by demographic sub-group, RoI, 2002
- Rise in kitchen appliance usage
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- Figure 39: Ownership of kitchen appliances, NI, 1998 and 2003
- Figure 40: Ownership of kitchen appliances, RoI, 1998 and 2003
- Convenience driving market
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- Figure 41: Attitudes towards buying food, by demographic sub-group, NI, 2003
- Trading up for quality and convenience in RoI
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- Figure 42: Attitudes towards buying food, by demographic sub-group, RoI, 2003
- Increased awareness of food concerns
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- Figure 43: Agreement with attitudes towards food among women, NI, 2003
- Perceptions of health foods slowly changing among NI males
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- Figure 44: Agreement with attitudes towards food among men, NI, 2003
- Changing lifestyles
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- Figure 45: Agreement with further attitudes towards food among women, RoI, 2003
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- Figure 46: Agreement with further attitudes towards food among men, RoI, 2003
- Innovation in healthy ready meal options to suit the female palate
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- Figure 47: Agreement with attitudes towards diet and health among women, NI, 2003
- Continued demand for meat-based ready meals by males
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- Figure 48: Attitude towards diet and health among men, NI, 2003
- Quality and fresh food options growing healthy sector
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- Figure 49: Attitudes towards diet and health among women, RoI, 2003
- Male respondents less likely to consume calorie controlled ready meals
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- Figure 50: Further attitudes towards diet and health among men, RoI, 2003
- Consumers trading up for premium priced ready meals
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- Figure 51: Grocery expenditure, by socio-economic group, NI 2002
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- Figure 52: Grocery expenditure, by socio-economic status, RoI, 2002
The Future
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- Dynamic chilled sector
- Evolved frozen sector
- Instant snacks remain popular
- Premium pricing
- Perceived freshness and quality
- Population shifts
- Developments in packaging
Forecast
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- Figure 53: Demographic breakdown of forecasted population growth, 2002-07
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- Figure 54: Forecast of ready meals market, based on current retail prices, NI, 2003-08
- Figure 55: Forecast of ready meals market, based on current retail prices, RoI, 2003-08
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