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Chilled and Frozen Ready Meals - UK - May 2008

ISSUES IN THE MARKET
Main issues
Definition
Abbreviations
INSIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Taking on scratch cooking
Exploiting provenance and ingredient quality
Ready meals a solitary occasion
MARKET IN BRIEF
A market on the defensive
Ready-to-cook is main competitor
Perceptions of ready meals are improving
Chilled market more resilient
Core convenience market among those disinterested in cooking
Ready meals need added attributes
The future
FAST FORWARD TRENDS
Trend 1: Instant Gratification
What’s it about?
What’s it mean
What next?
Trend 2: Return of Manly Men
What’s it about?
What’s it mean
What next?
Trend 3: Third Place
What’s it about?
What’s it mean
What next?
 WHAT IS FAST FORWARD TRENDS?
INTERNAL MARKET ENVIRONMENT
Key points
Home cooking harms convenience food
Figure 1: Agreement with selected lifestyle statements, 2003-07
Health damages ready meal prospects
Figure 2: Agreement with selected lifestyle statements, 2003-07
Frozen appeals across both foodies and convenience buyers
Figure 3: Agreement with selected lifestyle statements, 2003-07
Figure 4: Agreement with selected lifestyle statements, all adults and those who agree with the statements ‘I prefer to prepare my meals from scratch’ and ‘I don’t have time to spend preparing and cooking food’, 2007
Ready meals move to less frequent use
Figure 5: Usage of ready meals in the last 12 months, 2003-07
Figure 6: Types of ready meals used, 2004-07
BROADER MARKET ENVIRONMENT
Key points
Continued decline of the traditional household
Smaller households drive growth
Figure 7: UK household sizes, 2003-13
Demographic change favours ready meals
Figure 8: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, by gender, 2003-13
COMPETITIVE CONTEXT
Key points
UK convenience market is mature
Pizzas maintain growth
Figure 9: The retail market for ready meals and pizzas, 2003-08
Ready-to-cook outstrips ready meals
Figure 10: Sales of ready meals, ready-to-cook meals and cooking sauces, 2003-08
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES IN THE MARKET
Strengths
Consistent with modern lifestyles
NPD tuning into consumer trends
Offer extending to new cuisine
Salt and fat content reduced
Weaknesses
Under-promoted
Hangover of bad publicity
Frequently price-discounted
Not consistent with scratch cooking
WHO’S INNOVATING?
Key points
Ready meals redefine themselves
Figure 11: Claims made for new ready meal products, 2003-07
A new premium era?
Figure 12: NPD of chilled and frozen ready meals, by major retailers, 2003-07
Recent NPD also emphasises health
New branded ranges
MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Key points
Market set for recovery
Figure 13: Forecast of retail sales of chilled and frozen ready meals, 2003-13
Repositioning of ready meals to turn the tide
The future
SEGMENT PERFORMANCE
Key points
Healthy growth predicted for chilled ready meals
Figure 14: Forecast of retail sales of chilled ready meals, 2003-13
Frozen ready meals suffer
Figure 15: Forecast of retail sales of frozen ready meals, 2003-13
Newer cuisine makes most growth
Figure 16: Market segments in the chilled and frozen ready meals market, by cuisine, 2003-08
Premium is a growth point
Figure 17: Market segments in the chilled and frozen ready meals market, by price positioning, 2003-08
 FACTORS USED IN THE FORECAST
MARKET SHARE
Key points
Premium retailers increase share
Figure 18: UK retail share of chilled ready meals, by retailer, 2003-07
Brands reducing in frozen ready meals
Figure 19: Manufacturers’ share of the UK frozen ready meal market, 2003-07
BRAND COMMUNICATION AND PROMOTION
Key points
Category needs support
Figure 20: Advertising expenditure on chilled and frozen ready meals, 2003-07
Findus Novelli range is the main brand campaign
Figure 21: Advertising expenditure on selected ready meal brands, January-December 2007
COMPANIES AND PRODUCTS
Key points
Own-label dominates chilled ready meals
Tesco
Sainsbury’s
ASDA
Morrisons
Marks & Spencer
Waitrose
 CHILLED READY MEAL MANUFACTURERS
Bakkavör (Geest)
Greencore
Kerry Foods
Northern Foods
Premier Foods
S&A Foods
Champneys
Annabel Karmel Group Holdings Ltd
 FROZEN READY MEAL MANUFACTURERS
Birds Eye Igloo Group Ltd
HJ Heinz
Foodvest (Findus/Young’s)
Niche companies
BRAND ELEMENTS
 BRAND MAP
Figure 22: Attitudes and usage of ready meal brands, March 2008
 WEIGHT WATCHERS FROM HEINZ
What the brand is trying to achieve
What the consumer thinks
Figure 23: Attitudes towards the Weight Watchers from Heinz brand, March 2008
 M&S
What the brand is trying to achieve
What the consumer thinks
Figure 24: Attitudes towards the M&S brand, March 2008
 ICELAND
What the brand is trying to achieve
What the consumer thinks
Figure 25: Attitudes towards Iceland brand, March 2008
 LINDA MCCARTNEY
What the brand is trying to achieve
What the consumer thinks
Figure 26: Attitudes towards the Linda McCartney brand, March 2008
 BIRDS EYE
What the brand is trying to achieve
What the consumer thinks
Figure 27: Attitudes towards the Birds Eye brand, March 2008
 TESCO
What the brand is trying to achieve
What the consumer thinks
Figure 28: Attitudes towards Tesco brand, March 2008
 SAINSBURY’S
What the brand is trying to achieve
What the consumer thinks
Figure 29: Attitudes towards the Sainsbury’s brand, March 2008
 AUNT BESSIE’S
What the brand is trying to achieve
What the consumer thinks
Figure 30: Attitudes towards the aunt bessies brand, March 2008
 FINDUS
What the brand is trying to achieve
What the consumer thinks
Figure 31: Attitudes towards Findus brand, March 2008
 BRAND QUALITIES OF READY MEAL BRANDS
Supermarkets the most accessible but M&S wins special appeal
Figure 32: Consumer perceptions of various chilled and frozen brands, March 2008
 EXPERIENCE OF READY MEAL BRANDS
Birds Eye most popular, Aunt Bessie’s fast growing
Figure 33: Consumer usage of various chilled and frozen meal brands, March 2008
 BRAND INTENTIONS FOR READY MEAL BRANDS
Tesco’s rivalling Birds Eye for customer retention
Figure 34: Consideration of various chilled and frozen meal brands, March 2008
 BRAND MOMENTUM FOR READY MEAL BRANDS
Aunt Bessie’s gaining most, Linda McCartney losing most ground
Figure 35: momentum of various chilled and frozen meal brands, March 2008
 BRAND SATISFACTION FOR READY MEAL BRANDS
M&S most likely to hit the E-spot
Figure 36: Satisfaction of various chilled and frozen meal brands, March 2008
 BRAND MOTIVATION FOR READY MEAL BRANDS
Own-label leads in chilled
Figure 37: Motivation for usage of various ready meal brands, March 2008
Brand commitment to ready meal brands
M&S sweeps up on being worth more
Figure 38: Commitment to various chilled and frozen meal brands, March 2008
 ROUND UP
USE AND PURCHASING BEHAVIOUR
Key points
Italian meals lead chilled segment
Figure 39: Types of chilled ready meals purchased in the last six months, February 2008
ABC1 consumers favour Italian and Indian
Healthy options appeal to women
Super-premium segment needed
Frozen ready meals
Figure 40: Types of frozen ready meals purchased in the last six months, February 2008
Younger consumers like frozen ready meals
CONSUMER ATTITUDES TOWARDS READY MEALS/COOKING
Key points
Consumers divide evenly on convenience foods
Figure 41: Consumer attitudes towards ready meals and cooking, February 2008
Figure 42: Consumers agreeing with the statement ‘Cooking from scratch is often as quick as preparing ready meals’, by age, February 2008
Figure 43: Consumers agreeing with the statement ‘Different members of my household eat dinner at different times’, by age and presence of children, February 2008
Ready meals need more than convenience
Figure 44: Consumers agreeing with the statement ‘I avoid ready meals because of the hidden fat/salt content’, by age, February 2008
No strong preference for ready-to-cook
Low-calorie ready meals favoured by women
CONSUMER TARGETING OPPORTUNITIES
Key points
Majority switch between frozen and chilled
Figure 45: Purchasing of chilled and frozen ready meals, February 2008
Ready meals a necessary evil for scratch cookers
Figure 46: Purchasing of chilled and frozen ready meals, by agreement with statements on cooking and eating habits, February 2008
 TARGET GROUPS
TV Diners (23% of respondents or 11.4 million adults)
Scratch Cooking Enthusiasts (36% of respondents or 17.8 million adults)
Ready Meal Fans (16% of respondents or 7.9 million adults)
Apathetic (25% of respondents or 12.3 million adults)
APPENDIX: BRAND COMMUNICATION AND PROMOTION
Advertising expenditure on ready meal/convenience food categories
Figure 47: Advertising expenditure on ready meal/convenience food categories, January-December 2007
Advertising expenditure on selected ready meal brands
Figure 48: Advertising expenditure on selected ready meal brands, January-December 2007
APPENDIX: USE AND PURCHASING BEHAVIOUR
Most popular types of chilled ready meals, by detailed demographics
Figure 49: Most popular types of chilled ready meals purchased in the last six months, by detailed demographics, February 2008
Next most popular types of chilled ready meals, by detailed demographics
Figure 50: Next most popular types of chilled ready meals purchased in the last six months, by detailed demographics, February 2008
Most popular types of frozen ready meals, by detailed demographics
Figure 51: Most popular types of frozen ready meals purchased in the last six months, by detailed demographics, February 2008
Next most popular types of frozen ready meals, by detailed demographics
Figure 52: Next most popular types of frozen ready meals purchased in the last six months, by detailed demographics, February 2008
APPENDIX: ATTITUDES TOWARDS READY MEALS
Most popular attitudes towards ready meals and cooking, by detailed demographics
Figure 53: Most popular attitudes towards ready meals and cooking, by detailed demographics, February 2008
Next most popular attitudes towards ready meals and cooking, by detailed demographics
Figure 54: Next most popular attitudes towards ready meals and cooking, by detailed demographics, February 2008
Other popular attitudes towards ready meals and cooking, by detailed demographics
Figure 55: Other popular attitudes towards ready meals and cooking, by detailed demographics, February 2008
APPENDIX: CONSUMER TARGETING OPPORTUNITIES
Figure 56: Purchasing of chilled and frozen ready meals, February 2008
Cooking and eating habit target groups, by detailed demographics
Figure 57: Cooking and eating habit target groups, by detailed demographics, February 2008
Purchasing of chilled and frozen ready meals, by attitudes towards ready meals and cooking
Figure 58: Purchasing of chilled and frozen ready meals, by attitudes towards ready meals and cooking, February 2008
Cooking and eating habit target groups, by types of chilled ready meals
Figure 59: Cooking and eating habit target groups, by types of chilled ready meals bought in the last six months, February 2008
Cooking and eating habit target groups, by types of frozen ready meals
Figure 60: Cooking and eating habit target groups, by types of frozen ready meals bought in the last six months, February 2008
Cooking and eating habit target groups, by attitudes towards ready meals and cooking
Figure 61: Cooking and eating habit target groups, by attitudes towards ready meals and cooking, February 2008
Cooking and eating habit target groups, by purchasing of chilled and frozen ready meals
Figure 62: Cooking and eating habit target groups, by purchasing of chilled and frozen ready meals, February 2008
Purchasing of chilled and frozen ready meals, by detailed demographics
Figure 63: Purchasing of chilled and frozen ready meals, by detailed demographics, February 2008

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