Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Products covered in this report
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Cooking and pasta sauces enter fifth consecutive year of decline
- Health remains an issue for the category
- Value growth forecast for the market
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- Figure 1: Forecast of UK retail value sales of cooking and pasta sauces, 2012-22
- Ambient wet sauces are the main driver in market’s decline
- Salt makes a return to the public health agenda
- Sugar continues to be a key purchasing factor
- Opportunities to appeal to the flexitarian market
- End to growing consumer incomes; scratch cooking offers a means of economising
- Companies and brands
- Nine of the top 10 brands see sales fall
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- Figure 2: Leading brands’ share of the UK retail cooking and pasta sauces market, by value, 2015/16 and 2016/17
- Own-label bucks the downward trend
- Brands lose share of launches to own-label
- L/N/R sugar and sodium claims increase but remain niche
- Homepride addresses gap in the market with kids’ cooking sauces
- Popularity of pouches continues; jars lose share in NPD
- Steep decline in advertising spend
- ‘No Drama’ campaign from Dolmio
- The consumer
- Four fifths of consumers use ready-made cooking sauces
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- Figure 3: Usage of cooking or pasta sauces in the last 3 months, by type, September 2017
- Over a quarter make sauces from scratch in a typical week
- Favourite sauce is the top influencer; buyers are opportunistic
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- Figure 4: Factors influencing choice of cooking/pasta sauce, September 2017
- 16-34s and over-55s are most drawn to healthiness
- Half of non-buyers could be encouraged to buy cooking/pasta sauces
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- Figure 5: Factors to encourage purchasing of cooking/pasta sauces, September 2017
- Easy-open packaging garners most interest
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- Figure 6: Interest in cooking/pasta sauce packaging features, September 2017
- Parents are most likely to prefer a ready meal to using cooking/pasta sauces
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- Figure 7: Cooking/pasta sauce usage and buying behaviours, September 2017
- Own-label sauces seen to lag behind brands on delivering flavour
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- Figure 8: Attitudes towards cooking/pasta sauces, September 2017
- Non-chilled sauces most commonly associated with negative attributes
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Healthier proposition can bring new audiences to the market
- The facts
- The implications
- Cooking and pasta sauce products need to cater to the UK’s ageing population
- The facts
- The implications
- Cooking sauces need to boost their image as authentic and being free from artificials
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Cooking and pasta sauces enter fifth consecutive year of decline
- Health remains an issue for the category
- Value growth forecast for the market
- Ambient wet sauces are the main cause of the market’s decline
- Salt makes a return to the public health agenda
- Sugar continues to be a key purchasing factor
- Opportunities to appeal to the flexitarian market
- End to growing consumer incomes; scratch cooking offers a means of economising
Market Size and Forecast
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- Cooking and pasta sauce sales enter fifth consecutive year of decline
- Health remains an issue for the category
- Market value hit by growth of discounters
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- Figure 9: Forecast of UK retail value sales of cooking and pasta sauces*, 2012-22
- Value growth forecast for the market
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- Figure 10: Forecast of UK retail value sales of cooking and pasta sauces, 2012-22
- Responding to demographic shifts is vital for the market
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
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- Ambient wet sauces are the main driver of market’s decline
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- Figure 11: UK retail sales of cooking/pasta sauces, by sector, 2015-17
- Italian and traditional sauces continue to lose sales
- Emerging sauces continue to see value growth
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- Figure 12: UK retail sales of ambient wet and dry cooking/pasta sauces, by cuisine, 2015-17
Market Drivers
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- Salt makes a return to the public health agenda …
- …but sparks limited concern among consumers
- Pesto sauces identified as a main offender for high salt levels
- Potassium-based sodium replacers given the green light
- Sugar continues to be a key purchasing factor
- Opportunities to appeal to the flexitarian market
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- Figure 13: Share of product launches in the UK cooking and pasta sauces market, labelled suitable for vegetarians or vegans, 2013-17
- Inflation fuels price rises; end to growing consumer incomes
- Scratch cooking still a challenge to the market
- Ready meals add pressure
- Ageing population could curb sales
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- Figure 14: Usage of cooking and pasta sauces, by age, September 2017
- Growth in number of smaller households could add further pressure to the category
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Nine of the top 10 brands see sales fall
- Own-label bucks the downward trend
- Brands lose share of launches to own-label
- L/N/R sugar and sodium claims increase but remain niche
- Homepride addresses gap in the market with kids’ cooking sauces
- Popularity of pouches continues; jars lose share in NPD
- Steep decline in advertising spend
- ‘No Drama’ campaign from Dolmio
Market Share
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- Nine of the top 10 brands see sales fall
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- Figure 15: Leading brands in the UK retail cooking and pasta sauces market, by value, 2015/16 and 2016/17
- Loyd Grossman is the only brand to see steady value sales
- Own-label bucks the downward trend
- Chilled sauces maintain value sales
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- Figure 16: Leading brands in the UK retail chilled cooking and pasta sauces market, by value, 2015/16 and 2016/17
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Brands lose share of launches to own-label
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- Figure 17: New product launches in the UK cooking and pasta sauces market, by share of own-label and branded, 2013-17
- M&S is the first retailer to add a “booster” format to its portfolio
- L/N/R sugar and sodium claims increase but remain niche
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- Figure 18: New product launches in the UK cooking and pasta sauces market carrying a l/n/r sugar or a L/N/R sodium claim, 2013-17
- Dolmio launches two new sauce ranges
- Homepride addresses gap in the market with kids’ cooking sauces
- Heinz extends range of Tomato Frito sauces
- Innovative flavoured pestos enter the market
- Popularity of pouches continues; jars lose share in NPD
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- Figure 19: New product launches in the UK cooking and pasta sauces market, by packaging type, 2013-17
- Vibrant and modern rebrand for Blue Dragon
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- Steep decline in advertising spend
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- Figure 20: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on cooking and pasta sauces, 2013-17
- ‘No Drama’ campaign from Dolmio
- New ad supports no added sugar Bolognese
- New direction hopes to show convenience, health and togetherness
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- Figure 21: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on cooking and pasta sauces, by highest spending advertisers, 2013-17
- Knorr tackles food insecurity in the UK
- Saclà enlists the public to help shape the future of pesto
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- Figure 22: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on cooking and pasta sauces, by highest spending brands, 2013-17
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Four fifths of consumers user ready-made cooking sauces
- Over a quarter make sauces from scratch in a typical week
- Favourite sauce is the top influencer; buyers are opportunistic
- 16-34s and over-55s are most drawn to healthiness
- Half of non-buyers could be encouraged to buy cooking/pasta sauces
- Easy open packaging garners most interest
- Parents are most likely to prefer a ready meal to using cooking/pasta sauces
- Own-label sauces seen to lag behind brands on delivering flavour
- Non-chilled sauces most commonly associated with negative attributes
Usage of Cooking and Pasta Sauces
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- Four fifths of consumers use ready-made cooking sauces
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- Figure 23: Usage of cooking or pasta sauces in the last 3 months, by type, September 2017
- Single person households are least likely to make sauces from scratch
- Over a quarter make sauces from scratch in a typical week
- Chilled sauces are popular amongst the affluent
- Non-chilled are the most frequently used ready-made cooking sauces
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- Figure 24: Frequency of usage of cooking or pasta sauces in the last 3 months, by type, September 2017
Factors Influencing Choice of Cooking/Pasta Sauce
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- Favourite sauce is the top influencer
- Cooking sauce buyers are opportunistic when it comes to promotions
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- Figure 25: Factors influencing choice of cooking/pasta sauce, September 2017
- 16-34s and over-55s are most drawn to healthiness
- Authentic recipes can offer stand out
Factors to Encourage Purchasing of Cooking/Pasta Sauces
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- Half of non-buyers could be encouraged to buy cooking/pasta sauces
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- Figure 26: Factors to encourage purchasing of cooking/pasta sauces, September 2017
- Low sugar is among top enticements…
- …together with low salt
- EFSA poses strict limits on low-salt claims
- A quarter of one-person households want more smaller pack sizes
Interest in Cooking/Pasta Sauce Packaging Features
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- Easy open packaging garners most interest
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- Figure 27: Interest in cooking/pasta sauce packaging features, September 2017
- Resealable packaging is of most interest to younger age groups
- Resealability is not a given for new packaging formats
- A fifth welcome aids to measuring out serving size
Cooking/Pasta Sauce Usage and Buying Behaviours
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- Versatile sauces appeal
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- Figure 28: Cooking/pasta sauce usage and buying behaviours, September 2017
- Parents of under-16s are most likely to prefer a ready meal to using cooking/pasta sauces
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- Figure 29: Cooking sauces and pasta sauces – CHAID – Tree output, September 2017
- Methodology
- Just over a quarter of users have been affected by news about cooking sauces
Attitudes towards Cooking/Pasta Sauces
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- Scope for sauce-making kits to help children learn how to cook
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- Figure 30: Attitudes towards cooking/pasta sauces, September 2017
- 44% agree that sauces go well with ‘carb alternatives’
- Own-label sauces need to compete with brands on delivering flavour
Qualities Associated with Types of Cooking/Pasta Sauces
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- Non-chilled sauces most closely associated with negative attributes
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- Figure 31: Qualities associated with types of cooking/pasta sauces, September 2017
- Few see cooking/pasta sauces to be authentic…
- …or free from artificial additives/preservatives
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 32: Best- and worst-case forecasts for the total UK retail cooking and pasta sauces market, by value, 2017-22
Appendix – Market Drivers
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- Figure 33: Usage of food services, December 2016
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Appendix – Market Share
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- Figure 34: Leading companies in the UK retail cooking and pasta sauces market, by value, 2015/16 and 2016/17
- Figure 35: Leading companies in the UK retail chilled cooking and pasta sauces market, by value, 2015/16 and 2016/17
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Appendix – Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Figure 36: Share of new product launches in the UK cooking and pasta sauces market, by company, 2013-17
- Figure 37: New product launches in the UK cooking and pasta sauces market carrying a premium claim, by share of branded or own-label, 2013-17
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- Figure 38: New product launches by closure types, 2013-17
- Figure 39: Share of new launches in the UK cooking and pasta sauces market carrying an all-natural product or a no additives/preservatives claim, 2013-17
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- Figure 40: New product launches in the UK cooking and pasta sauces market, by top 10 claims, 2013-18
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Appendix – Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- Figure 41: Share of above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on cooking and pasta sauces, by highest spending advertisers, 2013-17
- Figure 42: Share of above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on cooking and pasta sauces, by highest spending brands, 2013-17
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- Figure 43: Share of recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on cooking and pasta sauces, by media type, 2013-17
- Figure 44: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on cooking and pasta sauces, by media type, 2013-17
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Appendix – The Consumer
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- Figure 45: Usage of cooking or pasta sauces, by household size, October 2017
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- Figure 46: Frequency of cooking meals from scratch, April 2016-November 2017
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- Figure 47: Repertoire of types of cooking or pasta sauces used in the last 3 months, September 2017
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- Figure 48: Cooking sauces and pasta sauces – CHAID – Table output, September 2017
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