Table of Contents
Executive Summary
-
- The market
-
- Figure 1: Estimated sales value of retail and foodservice sales of food-to-go, by value, IoI, NI and RoI, 2014-19
- Figure 2: Limited-service restaurants, by segment, RoI and NI, 2018
- Forecast
-
- Figure 3: Indexed estimated sales value of retail and foodservice sales of food-to-go, by value, NI and RoI, 2014-24
- Market factors
- Lunch ‘hour’ is a thing of the past for many
- Consumer prices for the foodservice sector increase
- Increase in employment could see an increase in footfall
- Six in 10 are overweight or obese
- Growing potential in the vegan/vegetarian market
- Companies and Innovations
- The consumer
- C-stores most used location for deli and hot food counters
-
- Figure 4: Types of retailers where consumers have bought items from a deli counter (eg sandwich, salad) in the last month, NI and RoI, April 2019
- Figure 5: Types of retailers where consumers have bought items from a hot food counter in the last month, NI and RoI, April 2019
- Sandwiches/wraps most sought-after deli items
-
- Figure 6: Types of chilled/cold items bought from a deli counter in the last month, NI and RoI, April 2019
- Breakfast items appeal more to NI consumers at hot counters
-
- Figure 7: Types of food items bought from a hot food counter in the last month, NI and RoI, April 2019
- Lunch is the main event for deli and hot food counters
-
- Figure 8: Meal occasions for which consumers have visited deli and hot food counters, NI and RoI, April 2019
- Irish consumers will wait for freshly prepared items
-
- Figure 9: Agreement with statements relating to deli and hot food counters, NI and RoI, April 2019
The Market – What You Need to Know
-
- Hot food & deli counters account for 16% of limited-service sector
- UK and Irish workers spend less than half an hour on lunch
- Cost of out-of-home dining increasing
- Increase in employment could see an increase in footfall
- Obesity crisis will help drive need for healthier options
- Growing potential in the vegan/vegetarian market
Market Size and Forecast
-
- Food-to-go options go from strength to strength
-
- Figure 10: Estimated sales value of retail and foodservice sales of food-to-go, by value, IoI, NI and RoI, 2014-24
-
- Figure 11: Indexed estimated sales value of retail and foodservice sales of food-to-go, by value, NI and RoI, 2014-24
- Much scope for expansion of the food-to-go offering
-
- Figure 12: Limited-service restaurants, by segment, RoI and NI, 2018
Market Drivers
-
- Average UK worker taking just 22 minutes for lunch – RoI workers 28 minutes
- RoI consumers spend €1,352 per annum on food out of home
-
- Figure 13: Consumer price index for restaurants, cafés, etc, RoI, January 2015-May 2019
-
- Figure 14: Consumer price index for restaurants & cafés, UK, January 2015-May 2019
- Employment levels increase in NI and RoI
-
- Figure 15: Unemployment rate (%), NI, February-April 2016-February-April 2019
- Figure 16: Unemployment rate (%), RoI, January 2016-May 2019
- Deli and hot food counters need to offer healthier options
-
- Figure 17: Obesity levels in adults aged 16+, NI, 2012/13-2016/17
- Figure 18: Body mass index, RoI, 2015 and 2017
-
- Figure 19: Ingredients in food and drink products consumers are concerned about, NI and RoI, June 2018
- Consumers increasingly going meat-free
-
- Figure 20: Selective diets that consumers currently adhere to, NI and RoI, 2018 and 2019
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
-
- Dunnes Stores is ruled in favour of from An Bord Pleanála
- Musgrave invests in flagship SuperValu
- Sainsbury’s launches the first vegan ‘butcher’ in UK and Ireland
- Tesco cuts in-store counter services
Who’s Innovating?
-
- Convenience retailers in Ireland using food-to-go to drive sales
- Tesco hints at possible premium chain of convenience stores
- Vegetarianism, health and wellness trends influencing foodservice menus
- Waste disposal opportunity for brands
- Waitrose in the UK successfully trials ‘air-door’ technology
Companies and Brands
-
- BWG Group
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Recent developments
- Circle K (Topaz)
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Recent developments
- Dunnes Stores
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Recent developments
- Fresh
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Recent developments
- Henderson Group
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Recent developments
- Musgrave
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Recent developments
- The Pig & Heifer
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Sainsbury’s (NI Only)
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Recent developments
- Sawers Ltd
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Tesco
- Product portfolio
- Recent developments
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
-
- Supermarkets and c-stores key locations
- Made-to-order sandwiches and wraps a key deli item
- Breakfast items appeal more to NI consumers at hot counters
- Lunch the main occasion for using deli and hot food counters
- A fresh sandwich is worth waiting for
Where Consumers Bought Deli and Hot Food Items
-
- C-stores a key location for deli counters and hot food counters
-
- Figure 21: Types of retailers where consumers have bought items from a deli counter (eg sandwich, salad) in the last month, NI and RoI, April 2019
-
- Figure 22: Types of retailers where consumers have bought items from a hot food counter in the last month, NI and RoI, April 2019
- Men and younger consumers are the primary deli and hot food counter users
-
- Figure 23: Consumers who have bought items from any deli or hot food counter in the last month, by age, NI and RoI, April 2019
-
- Figure 24: Consumers who have bought items from any deli or hot food counter in the last month, by gender, NI and RoI, April 2019
Types of Items Bought via Deli Counters
-
- MTO sandwiches & wraps top item in RoI; cold meats in NI
-
- Figure 25: Types of chilled/cold items bought from a deli counter in the last month, NI and RoI, April 2019
- MTO sandwiches see strong use among Gen-Xers
-
- Figure 26: Consumers who bought made-to-order sandwiches & wraps (cold) from a deli counter in the last month, by generation, NI and RoI, April 2019
-
- Figure 27: Top five most important factors to consumers when shopping for food and drink in specialist/artisan food stores, NI and RoI, September 2018
- NI consumers more likely to buy cold meats
-
- Figure 28: Consumers who bought made-to-order sandwiches & wraps (cold) from a deli counter in the last month, by gender, NI and RoI, April 2019
-
- Figure 29: Top five types of food consumers have eaten for packed lunch in the last three months, NI and RoI, January 2018
Types of Items Bought via Hot Food Counters
-
- Breakfast items and savoury pastries key items for hot food counters
-
- Figure 30: Types of food items bought from a hot food counter in the last month, NI and RoI, April 2019
- Breakfast items favoured more by men
-
- Figure 31: Consumers who bought breakfast items (eg breakfast roll) from a hot food counter in the last month, by gender, NI and RoI, April 2019
- Figure 32: Agreement with the statement ‘I am interested in trying the latest foods claimed to boost your health (eg chia seeds, quinoa)’, by gender, NI and RoI, August 2016
- Sausage rolls a winner among younger consumers
-
- Figure 33: Consumers who bought sausage rolls/Jambon/hot savoury pastries from a hot food counter in the last month, by age, NI and RoI, April 2019
- RoI consumers twice as likely to order MTO sandwiches from hot counters compared to NI
-
- Figure 34: Consumers who bought selected sandwich/wrap/bread items from a hot food counter in the last month, NI and RoI, April 2019
Meal Occasions
-
- Six in 10 use deli and hot food counters for lunch
-
- Figure 35: Meal occasions for which consumers have visited deli and hot food counters, NI and RoI, April 2019
- Lunch occasions most common among working consumers
-
- Figure 36: Consumers who have visited deli and hot food counters for lunch, by work status and area, NI and RoI, April 2019
- Men more likely to visit for breakfast; women for lunch
-
- Figure 37: Consumers who have visited deli and hot food counters for breakfast or lunch, by gender, NI and RoI, April 2019
Attitudes towards Deli and Hot Food Counters
-
- RoI consumers more willing to wait for counter food
-
- Figure 38: Agreement with statements relating to deli and hot food counters, NI and RoI, April 2019
- Patience comes with age, as mature consumers more willing to wait at counters
-
- Figure 39: Agreement with the statement ‘It is worth waiting longer at deli counters for a made-to-order sandwich/meal than buying pre-packaged’, by age, NI and RoI, April 2019
- Strong demand for healthier and more diet-specific food options
-
- Figure 40: Agreement with selected statements relating to healthy/diet-restrictive foods at deli and hot food counters, NI and RoI, April 2019
- Offering a dine-in experience
-
- Figure 41: Agreement with the statement ‘More stores with deli and hot food counters should offer sit-in areas to eat’, by age, NI and RoI, April 2019
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
-
- Consumer research
- Market size rationale
- Data sources
- Generational cohort definitions
- Abbreviations
Back to top