Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Market comes under pressure in 2019
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- Figure 1: Forecast of UK retail value sales of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, 2014-24
- Companies and brands
- Own-label continues to dominate chilled ready meals
- Weight Watchers leads in frozen ready meals, despite sales drop
- Charlie Bigham’s defies downward trend in ready-to-cook foods
- Own-label continues to dominate the market by NPD
- Vegan launches continue to gain attention
- Retailers launch lighter lines
- Advertisers increased spend in 2018
- The consumer
- 88% of UK adults eat ready meals/ready-to-cook foods
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- Figure 2: Usage of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, by type, May 2019
- Healthy proposition can win over prepared meals users
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- Figure 3: Interest in innovation in ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, May 2019
- Time pressures prompt 47% to eat ready meals/ready-to-cook foods
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- Figure 4: Reasons for eating ready meals/ready-to-cook foods, May 2019
- Processed image is the leading deterrent, followed by cost
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- Figure 5: Barriers to eating ready meals/ready-to-cook foods, May 2019
- Ethical meat is of high interest to consumers
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- Figure 6: Attitudes towards ready meals/ready-to-cook foods, May 2019
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Healthy proposition can win over prepared meals users
- The facts
- The implications
- Ethical meat is of high interest to consumers
- The facts
- The implications
- Calling out time saved could reinforce convenience of prepared meals
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Market comes under pressure in 2019
- Further challenges ahead
- Chilled ready meals continue to lead
- Frozen ready meals see decline worsen
- Health remains a concern for consumers
- Scratch cooking poses a threat to prepared meals
- Improved household incomes give opportunities for premium products
Market Size and Forecast
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- Market comes under pressure in 2019
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- Figure 7: UK retail value and volume sales of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, 2014-24
- Values expected to rise but volumes to suffer
- Decline in young people and children could dampen demand
- Threat from delivery services
- Scratch cooking is seen to be enjoyable, healthier and more affordable
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- Figure 8: Forecast of UK retail value sales of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, 2014-24
- Figure 9: Forecast of UK retail volume sales of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, 2014-24
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
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- Chilled ready meals continue to lead
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- Figure 10: UK retail value and volume sales and shares of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, by segment, 2017-19
- Frozen ready meals see decline worsen
- Ready-to-cook foods fail to grow share
Market Drivers
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- Health remains a concern for consumers
- Salt, calories and processed image as put-offs in ready meals
- PHE proposes draft calorie limit for ready meals
- Meat reduction trend continues
- Scratch cooking poses a threat to prepared meals
- Improved household incomes give opportunities for premium products
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- Figure 11: CPI vs average weekly earnings, 2013-19
- Uncertainties surround consumer finances post-Brexit
- Pressure grows on the food industry to reduce packaging waste
- Decline in 20-34s could adversely impact the market
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- Figure 12: Change in age structure of the UK population, 2013-18 and 2018-23
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Own-label continues to dominate chilled ready meals
- Weight Watchers leads in frozen ready meals, despite sales drop
- Charlie Bigham’s defies downward trend in ready-to-cook foods
- Own-label continues to dominate NPD in the market
- Vegan launches continue to gain attention
- Retailers launch lighter lines
- Advertisers increased spend in 2018
Market Share
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- Own-label continues to dominate chilled ready meals
- Charlie Bigham’s see strong growth
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- Figure 13: UK retail sales of leading brands in chilled ready meals, by value and volume, 2016/17-2018/19
- Weight Watchers leads in frozen ready meals, despite sales drop
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- Figure 14: UK retail sales of leading brands in frozen ready meals, by value and volume, 2016/17-2018/19
- Charlie Bigham’s defies downward trend in ready-to-cook foods
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- Figure 15: UK retail sales of leading brands in ready-to-cook foods, by value and volume, 2016/17-2018/19
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Own-label continues to dominate the market
- International cuisines feature strongly in own-label launches
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- Figure 16: New product launches in the UK ready meals and ready-to-cook market, by top 10 companies, 2015-19 (sorted by total)
- Sainsbury’s replaces Basics line with exclusive brand in frozen
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- Figure 17: Sainsbury’s replaces Basics with Stamford St. Food Company in frozen ready meals, 2019
- Own-label stands out for being trustworthy and providing food value, on average
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- Figure 18: Perception map of attribute performance of own-label prepared meals in comparison to branded prepared meals among UK consumers, April 2018-May 2019
- Charlie Bigham’s repackages and looks to vegetarian trend
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- Figure 19: Charlie Bigham’s focuses on repackaging, 2017 vs 2019
- Figure 20: Charlie Bigham’s launches vegetarian products, 2019
- Vegan launches continue to gain attention
- Deliciously Ella enters the fray
- Grocers step up activity
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- Figure 21: Morrisons and M&S unveil vegan ranges, 2018 and 2019
- Bol extends to dinner boxes
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- Figure 22: Share of new product launches in the UK ready meals and ready-to-cook market with the vegan claim, 2015-19
- Birds Eye launches Veggie Bowls
- Retailers launch lighter lines
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- Figure 23: Retailers launch health-focused meals, 2019
- A role for healthy ingredients
- Few brands look to emphasise naturalness
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- Figure 24: Benjamin’s Kitchen has a natural focus, Birds Eye’s Veggie Bowls enjoy a natural image, 2019
- Restaurant brands extend their reach in ready meals
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- Figure 25: Supermarkets sell restaurant-branded meals, 2018 and 2019
- Looking beyond chilled varieties
- Tesco aims to breathe life into canned meals
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- Figure 26: Tesco launches canned meals under its T. E. Stockwell & Co. tertiary brand, 2019
- Young’s launches steam-cooked frozen range
- Symington’s unveils 25-strong ambient range with international flavours
- Premium claims rise
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- Figure 27: Supermarkets continue to launch premium meals, 2019
- Emphasising product origin
- A focus on homemade/handmade credentials
- Manufacturers look to packaging as spotlight on plastic endures
- Premium brands use wooden trays for green credentials and standout
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- Figure 28: Ready meals with wooden trays as packaging, 2019
- Waitrose introduces compostable packaging for ready meals
- Iceland removes black plastic packaging from frozen ready meals
- Competing with delivery services
- Morrisons launches own subscription
- M&S launches meal kits
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- Figure 29: M&S launches meal kits, 2019
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- Advertisers increased spend in 2018
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- Figure 30: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on ready meals, 2015-19
- Marlow Foods leads spend; supporting its Tikka Masala meal
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- Figure 31: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on ready meals^, by top 10 advertisers (sorted by 2018), 2015-19
- M&S and Iceland increase spend
- Charlie Bigham’s focuses on outdoor
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- 88% of UK adults eat ready meals/ready-to-cook foods
- Two in five people eat chilled ready meals at least weekly
- Healthy proposition can win over prepared meals users
- Environmentally-friendly packaging would appeal to 30%
- Time pressures prompt 47% to eat ready meals/ready-to-cook foods
- 32% turn to ready meals when eating on their own
- Processed image is the leading deterrent
- Expense puts off 40%
- Ethical meat is of high interest to consumers
- Prepared meals are seen as a cheap way to try a new cuisine for 49%
Usage
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- 88% of UK adults eat ready meals/ready-to-cook foods
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- Figure 32: Usage of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, by type, May 2019
- Youth bias to usage
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- Figure 33: Usage of any ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, by age, May 2019
- Single-person households are core users, but the meals are popular with parents too
- Two in five people eat chilled ready meals at least weekly
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- Figure 34: Frequency of usage of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, by type, May 2019
- 50% of consumers eat all four types
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- Figure 35: Repertoire of types of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods eaten, May 2019
Interest in Ready Meals/Ready-to-Cook Foods
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- Healthy proposition can win over prepared meals users
- Healthy ingredients are widely in demand
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- Figure 36: Interest in innovation in ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, May 2019
- More activity in functional benefits chimes with one in four
- More products with ‘no nasties’ in demand
- A quarter (23%) want more larger sizes; especially men
- More high protein meals interest one in five
- Environmentally-friendly packaging would appeal to 30%
Reasons to Eat Ready Meals/Ready-to-Cook Foods
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- Time pressures prompt 47% to eat ready meals/ready-to-cook foods
- 43% opt for ready meals when they don’t want to cook
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- Figure 37: Reasons for eating ready meals/ready-to-cook foods, May 2019
- 32% turn to ready meals when eating on their own; 44% want more sharing formats
- Strong demand for more sharing formats
- Portion control offered by ready meals appeals to 11%
Barriers to Eating Ready Meals/Ready-to-Cook Foods
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- Processed image is the leading deterrent
- Baby food can offer inspiration
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- Figure 38: Gourmade looks to clean label and to emphasise freshness, 2019
- Vegetable ‘pots’ make transparency literal
- Information on sourcing should combat concerns
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- Figure 39: Barriers to eating ready meals/ready-to-cook foods, May 2019
- Expense puts off 40%
Attitudes towards Ready Meals and Ready-to-Cook Foods
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- Ethical meat is of high interest to consumers
- Animal welfare should resonate in premium meals
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- Figure 40: Attitudes towards ready meals/ready-to-cook foods, May 2019
- Ready meals/ready-to-cook foods are seen to reduce waste by 38%
- Prepared meals are seen as a cheap way to try a new cuisine for 49%
- Prepared meals offer too much choice for 32%
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 41: UK value sales of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, best- and worst-case forecast, 2019-24
- Figure 42: UK volume sales of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, best- and worst-case forecast, 2019-24
Appendix – Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Figure 43: New product launches in the UK ready meals and ready-to-cook market, by private label vs branded, 2015-19
- Figure 44: New product launches in the UK ready meals and ready-to-cook market, by launch type, 2015-19
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- Figure 45: New product launches in the UK ready meals and ready-to-cook market, by storage type, 2015-19
- Figure 46: New product launches in the UK ready meals and ready-to-cook market, by top 10 claims, 2015-19
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- Figure 47: New product launches in the UK ready meals and ready-to-cook market, by claim category, 2015-19
- Figure 48: Perception map of attribute performance of Tesco chicken curry in comparison to prepared meals among UK consumers, April 2018-May 2019
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- Figure 49: New product launches in the UK ready meals and ready-to-cook market, with the vegan claim, by private label vs branded, 2015-19
- Figure 50: New product launches in the UK ready meals and ready-to-cook market, by package type, 2015-19
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