Half of adults think world cuisine meals at home can feel as special as one from a restaurant/takeaway. This has buoyed the category as the income squeeze has fuelled the…
UK
Food
Consumer Attitudes
simple
UK Attitudes towards World Cuisines Consumer Report 2025
"The desire for as savvy alternatives to foodservice meals and the plant-forward trend remain key ones for world cuisines products in retail to align with."
Half of adults think world cuisine meals at home can feel as special as one from a restaurant/takeaway. This has buoyed the category as the income squeeze has fuelled the desire for good-value alternatives to foodservice meals. It remains a key strength to leverage while savvy spending mindsets endure.
Consumers’ love of newness poses a threat to long-standing cuisines and brands heavily reliant on them. Half of adults who eat world cuisines keep an eye out for less familiar cuisines. While brand extensions are a proven strategy for established players to tap changing trends, moving to new cuisines risks diluting their image of authenticity. Promisingly, many consumers prioritise taste and quality over authenticity.
The plant-forward trend is expected to grow as consumer spending regains momentum, making it a key one also for world cuisine products to align with. Views that world cuisine flavours make plant-based meals tasty represent a key strength for the category to mine.
This report looks at the following areas:
The impact of the income squeeze on the market and the outlook for the next five years
Key trends in recent launch activity and future opportunities
Usage of world cuisines at home and emerging cuisines of most interest
Behaviours related to world cuisines, including opportunities to tap interest in plant-forward eating
Attitudes towards world cuisines, including scope to capitalise on the image of these as making meals special.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Opportunities for the world cuisines retail market
Newness remains crucial to keep world cuisine lovers engaged
Strong image of making meals special remains a key one for world cuisine products in retail to leverage
World cuisine foods are well-placed to tap plant-forward trend
Market dynamics and outlook
Outlook for world cuisine food in retail
HFSS restrictions, UPF spotlight and sustainability focus
What consumers want and why
Nine in 10 people eat world cuisines at home
Graph 1: world cuisine eaten at home in the last three months and interest in eating world cuisines in future, by cuisine, 2025
Malaysian, Lebanese and Sri Lankan spark most interest among emerging world cuisines
Graph 2: emerging world cuisines most appealing to consumers, by type, 2025
World cuisine foods are well-placed to tap plant-forward trend
Graph 3: behaviours related to world cuisines, 2025
Strong image as special remains a powerful one for world cuisine products in retail
Graph 4: attitudes related to world cuisines, 2025
Innovation and marketing
NPD explores timely occasions, new cuisines and hands-on formats
Adspend fell in 2024
Graph 5: above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on selected world cuisine brands, by advertiser, 2021-25
MARKET DYNAMICS
Market drivers
One in three see their finances as healthy
Graph 6: the financial wellbeing index, 2021-25
Cautious consumer spending lingers
Graph 7: the financial confidence index, 2021-25
Restaurant inflation bolsters the appeal of retail options
Government confirms HFSS ad restrictions, delays implementation until January 2026
HFSS will have mixed effects on world cuisines category
Ultra-processed foods remain in the spotlight
Interest in sustainability expected to grow
WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
Usage of world cuisines at home
World cuisines are a regular feature in UK households
Nine in 10 people eat world cuisines at home
Graph 9: world cuisine eaten at home in the last three months and interest in eating world cuisines in future, by cuisine, 2025
Younger groups are core users…
Graph 10: selected world cuisine usage at home in the past three months, by age, 2025
…together with families
Graph 11: selected world cuisine usage at home in the past three months, by age and presence of children, 2025
Chinese and Indian cuisines remain most popular
Graph 12: overall usage of world cuisines, by cuisine type, 2019, 2022, 2024, 2025
Stalwart cuisines retain top positions, but usage falls
Seasonings, cooking sauces and ready meals vie for favour in world cuisines
Graph 13: types of world cuisine products eaten or used at home on an everyday occasion in the last three months, 2025
Interest in emerging world cuisines
Newness is needed to keep users engaged
Malaysian, Lebanese and Sri Lankan lead interest in emerging world cuisines
Emerging cuisines enjoy wide appeal
Graph 14: emerging world cuisines most appealing to consumers, 2025
Limited availability points to untapped potential for Malaysian, Lebanese and Sri Lankan cuisines
Malaysian sparks most interest among emerging cuisines
Lebanese favourites like shawarma and mezze can tap current trends
Curries and snacks provide a route into UK grocery for Sri Lankan cuisine
Spotlight new world cuisine products in supermarkets
Behaviours related to world cuisines
World cuisine foods are well-placed to tap plant-forward trend
Graph 15: behaviours related to world cuisines, 2025
Plant-forward meals hold potential for world cuisine products
World cuisine flavours are widely seen to elevate plant-based meals
Strong potential for world foods to tap interest in flavourful meat-free meals
Further opportunities for plant-based world cuisine meals
International products offer cues on vegetarian world cuisine meals
Spotlight sauces and kits’ ability to elevate vegetables
Reach shoppers in the produce aisle
World food flavours hold potential for plant-based proteins
Brand tie-ups offer a route for world cuisine brands
Attitudes related to world cuisines
Half of consumers say world cuisine meals at home can feel as special as eating out
Graph 16: attitudes related to world cuisines, 2025
Cost-conscious shoppers turn to meals at home
Tips for enhancing at-home meals will resonate
Indulgent flavours and textures can help elevate world cuisine meals
The strong image of world cuisine meals as special remains one to tap
Authentic snacks and desserts can elevate the world cuisine experience at home
International launches offer cues for bringing world cuisine desserts to retail
INNOVATION AND MARKETING TRENDS
Launch activity and innovation
World cuisine offering benefits from premium refreshes…
…and seasonal NPD
Established players launch new ranges
Tesco, The Spice Tailor and Jamie Oliver move into new cuisines
Recent launches invite home cooks to do more
Sharwood’s, Patak’s and Waitrose invite home cooks to be involved
Challenger brands drive innovation in condiments…
…stalwarts look to unlock wider occasions
Packaging refreshes aim to enhance shelf appeal and reduce plastic
Korean gains ground in recent NPD
Graph 17: share of launches in selected food categories that featured “Korean” (with word variants) in the product description, 2019-25
Meat and seafood explore world cuisine flavours
The rise of plant variety
Advertising and marketing activity
Adspend decreases in 2024
Graph 18: above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on selected world cuisine brands, by advertiser, 2021-25
Old El Paso supports ‘Street Vibes’ range
Old El Paso invites shoppers to ‘Turn It Up’ with Street Vibes
Premier Foods teams with Karate Kid: Legends
Lee Kum Kee highlights its chilli oil as versatile
Lee Kum Kee celebrates chilli oils and flavours that connect people
Itsu spotlights supermarket range and new Soup’dumplings
Patak’s brings magic to mealtimes with family-focused ad
APPENDIX
Report scope and definitions
Report scope
Abbreviations and terms
Consumer research methodology
Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
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