Table of Contents
Introduction and Abbreviations
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- Definitions
- Consumer research
- ACORN
- Abbreviations
Executive Summary
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- Not all market drivers have been positive
- Competition from retail sandwich market
- Mature market shows little growth
- Dominance of own-label
- Promotional support rarely targeted at lunchtime
- The short weekday lunch break
- Keep pushing for innovation
Market Drivers
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- Where is lunch eaten?
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- Figure 1: Weekday lunchtime venues/outlets, 2001 and 2003
- Who is at home for lunch?
- Changing working patterns
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- Figure 2: Trends in employment in the UK, 1998-2007
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- Figure 3: Workforce in employment in the UK, by gender and employment status, 1998-2007
- School children no longer at home
- Snacking
- Developments in the food market
- Premium products
- Convenience
- Healthy eating/diets
- The means to an end
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- Figure 4: UK PDI and consumer expenditure, at constant 1998 prices, 1998-2007
- Population trends
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- Figure 5: Trends and projections in the UK population, by age group, 1998-2007
- Household size
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- Figure 6: Trends and projections in UK household number and size, 1998-2007
- Sandwich market continues to grow
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- Figure 7: Retail sales of sandwiches, 1998-2003
Market Size and Trends
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- Lunch foods – an established market
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- Figure 8: UK retail sales of lunch foods, by value, 1998-2003
- Figure 9: Indexed UK retail sales of lunch foods, by value, 1998-2003
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- Figure 10: UK retail sales of lunch foods, by type and value, 2000 and 2002
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- Figure 11: UK value share of lunch foods, by type, 2002
Market Segmentation
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- Bread and rolls
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- Figure 12: UK retail sales of bread and rolls, by value, 1998-2003
- Canned fish
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- Figure 13: UK retail sales of canned fish, 1998-2003
- Cheese
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- Figure 14: UK retail sales of cheese, 1998-2003
- Sliced cooked meats
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- Figure 15: UK retail sales of sliced cooked meat*, 1998-2003
- Savoury spreads
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- Figure 16: UK retail sales of savoury spread (including peanut butter), 1998-2003
- Spreadables
- Peanut butter
- Extracts
- Ready-to-eat pies
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- Figure 17: Estimated UK retail sales of RTE pies, 1998-2003
- Instant soups
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- Figure 18: UK retail sales of instant soups, 1998-2003
- Instant noodle snacks
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- Figure 19: UK retail sales of instant noodle snacks, 1998-2003
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- Figure 20: Indexed UK retail sales of lunch foods, by type, at current prices, 1998-2003
- Figure 21: Indexed UK retail sales of lunch foods, by type, at constant 1998 prices, 1998-2003
The Supply Structure
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- Companies and brands – bread and rolls
- Allied Bakeries
- British Bakeries
- Warburtons
- Own-label
- Bake-off – small but growing
- Craft bakers
- Other companies
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- Figure 22: Selected new product development in bread and rolls, 2002/03
- Companies and brands – canned fish
- John West
- Princes
- Glenryk Foods
- Other companies
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- Figure 23: Selected new product development in canned fish, 2002/03
- Companies and brands – cheese
- Arla
- Dairy Crest
- Fromageries Bel
- Glanbia Foods
- Golden Vale
- Illchester Cheese Company
- Kraft Jacob Suchard
- Kavli
- Kerrygold
- McLelland Group
- Other companies
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- Figure 24: Selected new product development in cheese, 2002/03
- Companies and brands – savoury spreads
- Princes Foods
- HJ Heinz Company
- Other companies
- Companies and brands – peanut butter
- Premier Foods
- Other companies
- Own-label
- Companies and brands – meat/yeast/vegetable extracts
- Bestfoods
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- Figure 25: Selected new product development in savoury spreads, 2002/03
- Companies and brands – sliced cooked meats
- Bernard Matthews
- Roach Foods
- Kerry Foods
- Grampian Country Food Group
- Cranswick
- Other companies
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- Figure 26: Selected new product development in sliced cooked meat, 2002/03
- Companies and brands – ready-to-eat pies
- Northern Foods
- Samworth Brothers
- Kerry Foods
- Other companies
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- Figure 27: Selected new product development in ready-to-eat pies, 2002/03
- Companies and brands – instant soups
- Batchelors
- Knorr
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- Figure 28: Selected new product development in instant soups, 2002/03
- Companies and brands – instant noodle snacks
- Unilever Bestfoods
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- Figure 29: Selected new product development in instant noodle snacks, 2002/03
New Product Briefs
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- Bread and rolls
- Canned fish
- Cheese
- Sliced cooked meats
- Instant soups
- Instant noodles
- Savoury spreads
Advertising and Promotion
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- Above the line
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- Figure 30: Main monitored media advertising expenditure on lunch foods, 1998-2003
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- Figure 31: Main monitored media advertising expenditure on lunch foods, by type, 1998-2002
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- Figure 32: Main monitored media advertising expenditure on lunch foods, by type, 2002
- Bread and rolls – three companies responsible for lion’s share of spend
- Canned fish – John West main advertiser
- Cheese – building brand loyalty
- Sliced cooked meats – advertising represents small share of revenue
- Savoury spreads – Marmite main advertiser
- Ready-to-eat pies – low adspend due to dominance of own-label
- Instant soups – Cup-a-Soup most heavily advertised
- Instant noodle snacks – heavy support for Pot Noodle
- Below the line
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- Figure 33: Selected below-the-line promotions on lunch foods, 2003
Distribution
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- Bread and rolls – price competition sees multiples dominate
- Canned fish – improved merchandising sustains dominance of multiples
- Cheese – speciality shops grow share of sector
- Sliced cooked meats – independent delicatessens show lack of presence
- Savoury spreads – own-label building dominant share
- Ready-to-eat pies – butchers facing decreasing market share
- Instant soups – multiples gain value sales
- Instant noodle snacks – forecourts and CTNs account for third of sales
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- Figure 34: Source of main grocery shopping in the UK, 1996-2003
The Consumer – Type of Food Consumed
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- Type of food consumed at lunch
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- Figure 35: Foods usually eaten at lunchtime, 1997-2003
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- Figure 36: Foods usually eaten at lunchtime, 2003
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- Figure 37: Foods usually eaten at lunchtime, by gender, age and socio-economic status, October 2003
- Age determines choice of food for lunch
- 15-24s most likely to buy shop-bought sandwiches
- Health-conscious ABs eat fruit for lunch
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- Figure 38: Foods usually eaten at lunchtime, by presence of respondents’ own children, lifestage and Mintel’s Special Groups, October 2003
- Soup popular among consumers without children
- Fruit consumption more likely among consumers with children
- Retirees enjoy soup and fruit at lunchtime…
- …as well as a hot cooked lunch
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- Figure 39: Foods usually eaten at lunchtime, by marital status, working status and household size, October 2003
- Workers show preference for foods that are convenient to eat
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- Figure 40: Foods usually eaten at lunchtime, by region and ACORN category, October 2003
- Striving consumers most likely to eat shop-bought sandwiches
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- Figure 41: Foods usually eaten at lunchtime, by supermarkets used, media usage and hours per day spent watching commercial TV, October 2003
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- Figure 42: Other foods usually eaten at lunchtime, by gender, age and socio-economic status, October 2003
- Women tend to choose health-conscious options
- Older consumers likely to eat home-made salads
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- Figure 43: Other foods usually eaten at lunchtime, by presence of respondents’ own children, lifestage and Mintel’s Special Groups, October 2003
- Crackers and cheese appeal to childless consumers
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- Figure 44: Other foods usually eaten at lunchtime, by marital status, working status and household size, October 2003
- Impracticality dissuades consumers in work
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- Figure 45: Other foods usually eaten at lunchtime, by region and ACORN category, October 2003
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- Figure 46: Other foods usually eaten at lunchtime, by supermarkets used, hours spent per day watching commercial TV and media usage, October 2003
The Consumer – Eating Habits and Time Spent at Lunchtime
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- Lunchtime eating habits
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- Figure 47: Lunchtime eating habits and attitudes (excluding at work), 2001 and 2003
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- Figure 48: Lunchtime eating habits and attitudes (excluding at work), 2003
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- Figure 49: Lunchtime eating habits and attitudes (excluding at work), by gender, age and socio-economic status, 2003
- Women more likely to have a cold lunch
- Young consumers unlikely to take more time over weekend lunches
- Evening meals become main meal with age
- 25-34s more likely to seek out new foods
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- Figure 50: Lunchtime eating habits and attitudes (excluding at work), by presence of respondents’ own children, lifestage and Mintel’s Special Groups, 2003
- Consumers with children most likely to have main meal in evening
- Tolerance for same foods increases with each lifestage
- Third agers enjoy a cold lunch
- Retirees least likely to have lunch out at the weekend
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- Figure 51: Lunchtime eating habits and attitudes (excluding at work), by marital status, working status and household size, 2003
- One-person households less likely to have main meal in the evening
- Married consumers eat main meal in the evening
- Variety important to large households
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- Figure 52: Lunchtime eating habits and attitudes (excluding at work), by region and ACORN category, 2003
- Londoners least likely to eat main meal in the evening
- Rising least likely to eat cold lunch at home
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- Figure 53: Lunchtime eating habits and attitudes (excluding at work), by supermarkets used, media usage and hours spent per day watching commercial TV, 2003
- Shoppers at Safeway have lunch out at the weekend
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- Figure 54: Other lunchtime eating habits and attitudes (excluding at work), by gender, age and socio-economic status, 2003
- Consumers aged 65+ most likely to eat main meal at lunchtime
- Younger consumers buy lunch out
- Less affluent groups least likely to prepare a packed lunch
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- Figure 55: Other lunchtime eating habits and attitudes (excluding at work), by presence of respondents’ own children, lifestage and Mintel’s Special Groups, 2003
- Childless consumers more likely to eat their main meal at lunchtime
- Retirees most likely to eat lunch out at least once a week
- Lifestages reflect lifestyles and priorities
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- Figure 56: Other lunchtime eating habits and attitudes (excluding at work), by marital status, working status and household size, 2003
- Working people most likely to bring packed lunch from home
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- Figure 57: Other lunchtime eating habits and attitudes (excluding at work), by region and ACORN category, 2003
- People in the South most likely to eat lunch out
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- Figure 58: Other lunchtime eating habits and attitudes (excluding at work), by supermarkets used, media usage and hours per day spent watching commercial TV, 2003
- Asda shoppers least likely to eat a hot lunch
- Time spent over lunch
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- Figure 59: Time spent on lunch, 2001 and 2003
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- Figure 60: Time spent on lunch, 2003
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- Figure 61: Time spent on lunch, by gender, age and socio-economic status, November 2003
- Women most likely to spend less time on lunch
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- Figure 62: Time spent on lunch, by presence of respondents’ own children, lifestage and Mintel’s Special Groups, 2003
- Consumers with children have little time for lunch
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- Figure 63: Time spent on lunch, by marital status, working status and household size, 2003
- Workers most likely to have a quick lunch
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- Figure 64: Time spent on lunch, by region and ACORN category, 2003
- Thriving consumers take less time over lunch
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- Figure 65: Time spent on lunch, by supermarkets used, media usage and time spent per day watching commercial TV, 2003
- Quick lunch for those who shop at Morrisons
- Repertoire usage of lunch foods
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- Figure 66: Number and types of lunch foods usually eaten at home or work, 2003
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- Figure 67: Repertoire usage of lunch foods, by gender, age and socio-economic status, 2003
- Over-64s most likely to have a wide lunchtime repertoire
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- Figure 68: Repertoire usage of lunch foods, by lifestage, presence of children and Mintel’s Special Groups, 2003
- Pre-/no family respondents most likely to consume one type of food
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- Figure 69: Repertoire usage of lunch foods, by marital status, working status and household size, 2003
- One-person households are likeliest to eat five or more types of food
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- Figure 70: Repertoire usage of lunch foods, by region and ACORN category, 2003
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- Figure 71: Repertoire usage of lunch foods, by supermarkets used, media usage and hours per day spent watching commercial TV, 2003
The Future
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- Bread and rolls – a mature market
- Canned fish – product innovation for future growth
- Cheese – development of premium products
- Sliced cooked meats – pre-packs continue to dominate
- Savoury spreads – convenience to benefit sector
- Ready-to-eat pies – support from convenience and snacking
- Instant soups – growth reached a peak?
- Instant noodle snacks – new flavours and packaging to sustain sector
- Shifting demographics
Forecast
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- Figure 72: Forecast of the UK lunch foods market, at current prices, 2003-07
- Figure 73: Forecast of the UK lunch foods market, at constant 2003 prices, 2003-07
- Pies, noodle snacks and cooked sliced meats sectors most dynamic
- Convenient and health foods blossoming sectors
- NPD and strong promotional activity vital
- Factors incorporated in forecast
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