Convenience Eating - UK

Published by: Mintel International Group Ltd.

Published: May. 1, 2008 - 75 Pages

Table of Contents

Issues in the Market

Definition

Consumer research

Abbreviations

Market in Brief

A £4 billion market

A healthy proposition?

Superfoods and farmers’ markets

An own-label world

The future

Internal Market Environment

Key points

A ready meal nation?

Cooking is making a comeback

But not entirely from scratch

Health and nutrition remain key drivers

Chilled is gaining ground over frozen

A food culture, or just a culture of foodies?

Figure 1: Ownership of microwave ovens, freezers and combined fridge/freezer, by country, 2007

Figure 2: Trends in ownership of microwave ovens, freezers and combined fridge/freezer, 2002-07

Figure 3: Ownership of microwave ovens, freezers and combined fridge/freezer, by demographic sub-group, 2007

Popularity of takeaway foods

How much are we spending?

Figure 4: UK household final consumption expenditure on food and non-alcoholic drink, at current and constant prices, 2002-07

Defra family food - what are the growth sectors?

Figure 5: Detailed average household consumption of food, 2002-06

Broader Market Environment

Key points

Younger people big on convenience

Figure 6: Structure of the UK population, by age and gender, 2003-13

Older consumers offer a lot of potential

The better-off get better off

Figure 7: Forecast adult population trends, by socio-economic group, 2003-13

More women are working - and the British spend more time at work

Figure 8: UK workforce and employment by gender, 2003-13

Figure 9: Comparison of working hours, 2004

The relentless rise of the singles

Figure 10: The changing structure of UK households, 1971-2006

Growing prosperity drives premium

Figure 11: Trends in PDI and consumer expenditure, 2003-13

Snacking changes our eating habits

Figure 12: Estimated number of adult on-the-go snacking occasions, UK, 2008

Who’s Innovating?

Key points

France leads for convenience introductions

Figure 13: New product launches of convenience food & drink*, by country, 2005-07

Ready meals receiving the most attention

Figure 14: NPD in convenience food*, by country and sector, 2007

Targeting the health aware and vegetarians

Figure 15: Positioning of new convenience foods* launched in UK, top 20, 2005-07

Ready meals

Healthy eating ranges to the fore

Premium and sustainable

Steam cooking

Soup

Chilled and organic expand the premium offering

Cooking sauces

Focus on Italian and ethnic cuisines

Attracting younger users

Pizza

Matching the take-away or restaurant experience

Market Size, Segmentation and Forecast

Key points

Ready meals

Figure 16: UK retail value sales of ready meals, at current and constant prices, 2002-13

Figure 17: Retail value sales of ready meals and % of main shoppers using, 2002-07

Figure 18: UK retail value sales of ready meals, by type, 2005-07

Pizza

Figure 19: UK retail value sales of pizza, at current and constant prices, 2002-13

Figure 20: Retail value sales of pizza and % of main shoppers using, 2002-07

Figure 21: UK retail value sales of pizza, by type, 2005-07

Cooking sauces

Figure 22: UK retail value sales of cooking sauces, at current and constant prices, 2002-13

Figure 23: Retail value sales of cooking sauces and % of main shoppers using, 2002-07

Figure 24: UK retail value sales of cooking sauces, by type, 2005-07

Soup

Figure 25: UK retail value sales of soup, at current and constant prices, 2002-13

Figure 26: Retail value sales of soup and % of main shoppers using, 2002-07

Figure 27: Retail value sales of soup, by type, 2005-07

Forecast

Market to face maturity

Aging population poses challenges

Health concerns grow

Competition intensifies

Tougher times ahead for premium products

Healthy growth predicted for soups

Chilled is better than frozen

Factors used in the forecast

Market Share

Key points

Own-label chills out

Ready meals

Pizza

Sauces

Soup

Companies and Products

Tesco

Marks & Spencer

Sainsbury’s

HJ Heinz

Premier Foods

Unilever Bestfoods

Consumer - Pan-European Overview

Key points

Bring on the ready meals

Figure 28: Use of selected foods by country, 2007

Britons more reliant on frozen vegetables

Figure 29: Use of selected convenience foods more than once a week, by country, 2007

Consumer - Users of Convenience Foods

Key points

Figure 30: Gains and losses in consumer base for selected convenience foods, 2002-07

The young go for convenience

Affluent shoppers driving premium growth

Improving appeal to families

Singletons are a key target group

Figure 31: Most valuable consumers for volume sales of ready meals (VII), by age, income and household size, 2007

Figure 32: Most valuable consumers for volume sales of pizza (VII), by age, income and household size, 2007

Figure 33: Most valuable consumers for volume sales of soup (VII), by age, income and household size, 2007

Figure 34: Most valuable consumers for volume sales of cooking sauces (VII), by age, income and household size, 2007

Detailed demographics

Figure 35: Penetration of convenience foods, by demographic sub-group, 2007

Ready meals

Figure 36: Penetration and frequency of using ready meals, by demographic sub-group, 2007

Pizza

Figure 37: Penetration and frequency of eating pizza, by demographic sub-group, 2007

Soup

Figure 38: Penetration and frequency of using soup, by demographic sub-group, 2007

Cooking sauces

Figure 39: Penetration and frequency of using cooking sauces (including pesto), by demographic sub-group, 2007

Trends in frequency of use

Figure 40: Penetration and frequency of consumption of selected convenience foods in GB, 2003-07

Consumer - Usage and Attitudes

Won’t cook…or can’t cook?

Figure 41: Attitudes towards cooking and meal occasions, by country, 2007

We’ll pay more for quality

Figure 42: Attitudes towards food quality, by country, 2007

Abstract

Trends driving the convenience food market in the UK, such as social and cultural changes, pressure on lifestyles, the fragmentation of the family and the workplace, are no different from those operating in other countries. UK consumers however appear to have endorsed the convenience idea most enthusiastically, perhaps because the UK lacks a clear national culinary identity and has instead adopted dishes from around the globe.

The very public debate about diet and health in the UK continues to take centre stage. TV programmes about cookery and starring ‘celebrity chefs’ suggest that people’s interest in food and in cooking has never been greater, although fewer people, particularly amongst the under 40s, are actually doing it.

The challenge for the convenience food industry is to convince consumers that convenience can still be healthy and can also allow them some creative input into food preparation, although limited, without taking up too much time.

The countries examined within the Consumer Goods Intelligence series of reports are France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.

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