2023
0
Ireland Prepared Meals Market Report 2023
2023-07-20T04:05:20+01:00
REP7914F825_45C4_46D7_8046_4EDEE336F6D3
1495
165116
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Report
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“Continued inflation has put more pressures on consumer spending, and has seen consumers avoid more pricey foodservice outlets. This in turn has helped to drive more consumers to use prepared…
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  10. Ireland Prepared Meals Market Report 2023

Ireland Prepared Meals Market Report 2023

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“Continued inflation has put more pressures on consumer spending, and has seen consumers avoid more pricey foodservice outlets. This in turn has helped to drive more consumers to use prepared meals at home. Prepared meals that can effectively re-create the restaurant experience are likely to be hold strong appeal.”
– Brian O’Connor, Senior Consumer Analyst

Key issues covered in this Report

  • The impact of price inflation on consumer spending/usage of prepared meals.
  • Importance of health credentials for prepared meals and the impact of new guidelines on healthy eating.
  • How important is sustainability to prepared meals?
  • How has the return to working out-of-home impacted use of prepared meals?
Collapse All
  1. Overview

    • What you need to know
      • Key issues covered in this Report
        • Products covered in this Report
        • Executive Summary

            • The five-year outlook for prepared meals
              • Figure 1: Category outlook for prepared meals, 2023-28
            • The market
              • Figure 2: Estimated value sales of prepared meals, IoI, NI and RoI, 2018-23
            • Market factors
              • Inflation continues to affect consumers
                • Figure 3: The cost-of-living crisis has seen me avoid buying premium branded products, NI and RoI, 2022
              • Own-label prepared meals benefit from cost of living
                • Energy costs could influence meal choices
                  • Child food insecurity rates increase across the UK and Ireland due to the cost-of-living crisis
                    • Healthy factors continue to be important
                      • Figure 4: Most important factors when shopping for food, IoI, 2023
                    • Sustainability becoming less of a priority for consumers
                      • Figure 5: ‘I worry about the impact of prepared meal packaging on the environment’, NI and RoI
                    • Innovations
                      • The consumer
                        • Soups and pizza most popular prepared meals
                          • Figure 6: Types of prepared meals eaten in the last month, NI and RoI, 2023
                        • Evening meals key for prepared meal usage
                          • Figure 7: Occasions on which consumers have eaten prepared meals in the last month, NI and RoI, 2022
                        • Nutrition and clean labelling key factors
                          • Figure 8: ‘I would be most likely to choose one ready meal/ready-to-cook food over another if it…’, NI and RoI, 2023
                        • Consumer fatigue and apathy help to drive prepared meal use
                          • Figure 9: Attitudes and behaviours towards prepared meals, NI and RoI, 2023
                      • The Market – Key Takeaways

                        • Value sales set to grow in 2023
                          • Inflation continues to affect consumers
                            • Own-label prepared meals benefit from cost of living
                              • Energy costs could influence meal choices
                                • Child food insecurity rates increase across the UK and Ireland due to the cost-of-living crisis
                                  • Healthy factors continue to be important
                                    • Sustainability becoming less of a priority for consumers
                                    • Market Sizes and Forecast

                                        • The five-year outlook for prepared meals
                                          • Figure 10: Category outlook for prepared meals, 2023-28
                                        • 2022-23 sees stronger growth for prepared meals
                                          • Figure 11: Estimated value sales of prepared meals, IoI, NI and RoI, 2018-28
                                          • Figure 12: How consumers describe their current financial situation, IoI, 2022-23
                                      • Market Drivers

                                        • Inflation continuing to rise in the UK and Ireland
                                          • Figure 13: Consumer price index of all goods, UK (Including NI), April 2021-April 2023
                                          • Figure 14: Consumer Price Index of all items, RoI, May 2021-May 2023
                                          • Figure 15: The cost-of-living crisis has seen me avoid buying premium branded products, NI and RoI, 2022
                                        • 86% of Irish consumers facing higher food prices in 2023
                                          • Figure 16: Issues consumers have faced in the last two months, IoI, 2023
                                          • Figure 17: Issues faced by consumers from June 2022-May 2023
                                        • Possible increase in own-label use of prepared meals
                                          • Increased energy prices influencing consumers’ cooking habits
                                            • Figure 18: Changes consumers would make to their food habits if needing to save money, UK, 2023
                                          • Child food insecurity rates increase across the UK and Ireland due to the cost-of-living crisis
                                            • Health continuing to be a key concern for consumers
                                              • Figure 19: Most important factors when shopping for food, IoI, 2023.
                                              • Figure 20: Top factors when choosing a ready meal, NI and RoI, 2023
                                            • Sustainability becoming less of a priority for consumers
                                              • Figure 21: “I worry about the impact of prepared meal packaging on the environment NI and RoI
                                              • Figure 22: Top claims in prepared meal new product launches, UK and Ireland, 2019-23*
                                              • Figure 23: Most important packaging concerns for consumers, NI and RoI, 2022.
                                            • Prepared meal market benefitting from consumers seeking convenience
                                              • Figure 24: Where consumers typically work, NI and RoI, 2023
                                              • Figure 25: ‘Which of the following do you cook/prepare most for evening meals in your household?’, NI and RoI, 2021.
                                          • Companies and Innovations – Key Takeaways

                                            • Sustainability still has its place in innovation
                                              • Cost of living changing developments
                                                • Technology can help save time
                                                • Who’s Innovating?

                                                    • Sustainability claims continue to be a key concern for consumers
                                                      • Figure 26: Top claims in prepared meal new product launches, UK and Ireland, 2019-23*
                                                    • Cost-of-living crisis impacting consumers’ food choices
                                                      • Technology aiming to enhance convenience for meal times
                                                      • Companies and Brands

                                                          • Aldi (RoI only)
                                                            • Key Facts
                                                              • Product Portfolio
                                                                • Brand NPD
                                                                  • Recent Developments
                                                                    • Birds Eye
                                                                      • Key Facts
                                                                        • Product Portfolio
                                                                          • Recent Developments
                                                                            • Dunnes Stores
                                                                              • Key Facts
                                                                                • Product Portfolio
                                                                                  • Brand NPD
                                                                                    • Recent Developments
                                                                                      • Kraft Heinz
                                                                                        • Key Facts
                                                                                          • Product Portfolio
                                                                                            • Recent Developments
                                                                                              • Lidl
                                                                                                • Key Facts
                                                                                                  • Product Portfolio
                                                                                                    • Brand NPD
                                                                                                      • Recent Developments
                                                                                                        • Marks & Spencer
                                                                                                          • Key Facts
                                                                                                            • Product Portfolio
                                                                                                              • Brand NDP
                                                                                                                • Recent Developments
                                                                                                                  • Pilgrim’s Pride
                                                                                                                    • Key Facts
                                                                                                                      • Product Portfolio
                                                                                                                        • Recent Developments
                                                                                                                          • SuperValu
                                                                                                                            • Key Facts
                                                                                                                              • Product Portfolio
                                                                                                                                • Recent Developments
                                                                                                                                  • Tesco
                                                                                                                                    • Key Facts
                                                                                                                                      • Product Portfolio
                                                                                                                                        • Brand NPD
                                                                                                                                          • Recent Developments
                                                                                                                                          • The Consumer – Key Takeaways

                                                                                                                                            • Soups and pizza most popular prepared meals
                                                                                                                                              • Evening meals key for prepared meal usage
                                                                                                                                                • Nutrition and clean labelling key factors
                                                                                                                                                  • Consumer fatigue and apathy help to drive prepared meal use
                                                                                                                                                  • Types of Prepared Meals

                                                                                                                                                      • Soups and pizza continue to see strong usage
                                                                                                                                                        • Figure 27: Types of prepared meals eaten in the last month, NI and RoI, 2023
                                                                                                                                                      • Pizza usage stronger among women
                                                                                                                                                        • Figure 28: Consumers who have eaten chilled or frozen pizza in the last month, NI and RoI, 2022-23
                                                                                                                                                        • Figure 29: Consumers who have eaten chilled or frozen pizza in the last month, by gender, NI and RoI, 2023
                                                                                                                                                      • Soup usage up during cost-of-living crisis
                                                                                                                                                        • Figure 30: Consumers who have eaten soup (eg chilled, tinned, packet) in the last month, NI and RoI, 2022-23
                                                                                                                                                        • Figure 31: Consumers who have eaten soup (eg chilled, tinned, packet) in the last month, by financial situation, NI and RoI, 2023
                                                                                                                                                        • Figure 32: Launches in the soup category claiming to be premium vs economy, UK and Ireland, 2018-23*
                                                                                                                                                      • Snack pot usage stronger with parents
                                                                                                                                                        • Figure 33: Consumers who have eaten snack pots (eg pot noodle, porridge) in the last month, by presence of children in the household, NI and RoI, 2023
                                                                                                                                                        • Figure 34: Important qualities when choosing food to eat for breakfast, NI and RoI, 2022
                                                                                                                                                    • Prepared Meal Occasions

                                                                                                                                                        • Prepared meals see strongest usage for evening meals
                                                                                                                                                          • Figure 35: Occasions on which consumers have eaten prepared meals in the last month, NI and RoI, 2023
                                                                                                                                                        • Meal kits offer convenience
                                                                                                                                                          • Figure 36: Consumers who have eaten a meal kit for their evening meal in the last month, NI and RoI, by gender, 2023
                                                                                                                                                          • Figure 37: Methods of meal preparation mostly used, NI and RoI, 2021
                                                                                                                                                        • Cold side dishes see strong lunchtime use
                                                                                                                                                          • Figure 38: Consumers who have eaten a meal kit for their evening meal in the last month, NI and RoI, by gender, 2023
                                                                                                                                                      • Important Features of Prepared Meals

                                                                                                                                                          • RoI consumers more concerned with nutrition and easy-to-spot healthy factors
                                                                                                                                                            • Figure 39: ‘I would be most likely to choose one ready meal/ready-to-cook food over another if it…’, NI and RoI, 2023
                                                                                                                                                          • Clearly visible ingredients more important to older consumers
                                                                                                                                                            • Figure 40: Consumers who consider clearly visible healthy ingredients an important factor for prepared meals, by generational groups, NI and RoI, 2023
                                                                                                                                                            • Figure 41: Consumer behaviours towards healthy eating, NI and RoI, 2022
                                                                                                                                                          • NI consumers more likely to value time-saving
                                                                                                                                                            • Figure 42: Consumers who consider it being a dish that would take a long time to cook from scratch an important factor for prepared meals, by socio-economic groups, NI and RoI, 2023
                                                                                                                                                            • Figure 43: Attitudes towards cooking, NI and RoI, 2021
                                                                                                                                                        • Behaviours towards Prepared Meals

                                                                                                                                                            • Prepared meals benefit when consumers aren’t ‘up for’ cooking
                                                                                                                                                              • Figure 44: Attitudes and behaviours towards prepared meals, NI and RoI, 2023
                                                                                                                                                            • Younger consumers most likely to use prepared meals when not up for cooking
                                                                                                                                                              • Figure 45: Agreement with the statement ‘Prepared meals are useful when I’m not feeling up to cooking for myself’, by age group, NI and RoI, 2023
                                                                                                                                                              • Figure 46: How high inflation is impacting consumers, IoI, 2022-23
                                                                                                                                                            • Younger consumers recreating restaurant experience at home
                                                                                                                                                              • Figure 47: Agreement with the statement ‘I buy ready meals/ready-to-cook foods as an alternative to going out for dinner or getting takeaway’, by age groups, NI and RoI, 2023
                                                                                                                                                            • Cost of living driving own-label usage
                                                                                                                                                              • Figure 48: Agreement with the statement ‘The cost of living has seen me buying more own-label prepared meals in the last 12 months’, by age groups, NI and RoI, 2023
                                                                                                                                                              • Figure 49: Agreement with statements relating to supermarkets, NI and RoI, 2022
                                                                                                                                                          • Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information

                                                                                                                                                            • Data sources
                                                                                                                                                              • Generational cohort definitions
                                                                                                                                                                • Abbreviations

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