The UK Free-From Foods Market Report identifies consumers’ attitudes towards free-from foods, the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and future innovations in the free-from foods market. This report covers the free-from food market size, market forecast, market segmentation and industry trends for the UK free-from food market.
The COVID-19 outbreak gave the free-from food market a boost in 2020, a pattern seen across various food and drink retail markets. However, the rising cost of living presents a challenge for the free-from food market in 2022. As many consumers rein in spending, including on groceries, free-from products will face growing scrutiny. Half of UK consumers say they cut back on free-from products when money is tight.
Across the free-from food market, products that taste better and are more nutritional than standard equivalents are the top enticements that would win over non-users. However, that only around a fifth of non-users would be won over by this in each category poses a significant challenge for the free-from food market, indicating a key hurdle by catering primarily to allergy sufferers instead of expanding the user base.
As the income squeeze eases, environmentalism will regain focus, seeing dairy substitutes regain momentum. Product development will play a role in the dynamism of growth in the free-from food market size.
The dairy-free sector has an opportunity to increase its free-from foods market share as consumers continue to look for ways to reduce their environmental impact. The dairy-free sector can tap into these current free-from industry trends by providing easy-to-understand and tangible explanations of how dairy-free products can help consumers reduce their environmental footprint.
Read on to discover more details or take a look at all of our UK Food Market Research.
Products: Gluten-free, wheat-free and dairy-free products.
Brands: Alpro (Danone, This is Not Milk), Oatly, Lactofree (Arla), Nairn’s, Dr Schär, Nakd, Genius, Warburtons, Violife, The Coconut Collaborative, MOMA Foods, Bute Island Foods, Britvic, Aldi (Plant Menu), Sainsbury’s (Plant Pioneers), Tesco, M&S, Asda, Yoplait, Lilk, Meadow Foods, Dug, Sharoham Park, Wunda, Flora, Bel UK (Babybel, Nurishh), Boursin, Mondelēz (Philadelphia), Sheese, Holland & Barrett, White Rabbit, One Planet.
This report, written by Angharad Goode, a leading analyst in the Food and Drink sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.
“As concerns about inflation and the rising cost of living intensify, free-from products face growing pressure to justify their presence in consumers’ shopping baskets. Messaging around the environment remains a key one for operators even amidst these pressures given the long term expected greater emphasis on this area.”
Angharad Goode
Research Analyst
Mintel is the world’s leading market intelligence agency. We show you how consumers think today and tomorrow. As a trusted partner to industry leaders, we deliver game-changing insights to businesses across the globe, fuelling their marketing and innovation strategies that will shape the future.
Access high-quality market research with every purchase of Mintel’s consumer reports. Here’s what else is included in your report purchase:
From consumer reports to customised growth strategies. We have an option to suit your business requirements.
Find out more$ 6,300 – $ 26,000
Mintel’s 2024-25 Global Outlook on Sustainability: A Consumer Study is designed to help you understand what brands and companies should prioritise in order to educate consumers and ensure...
Find out more$ 2,995 – $ 5,595
While savvy shopping plays a role in the buying of crisps, savoury snacks and nuts, only a minority prioritise low prices. Flavour is more important, highlighting how the...
Find out more$ 2,995 – $ 5,595
The income squeeze and rapidly rising prices in the category took their toll on cheese in 2022 and 2023, with volume sales falling. Improvements to consumer confidence early...
Find out more$ 2,995
The fish and shellfish market saw volumes decline in 2022 and 2023. Pressure on household budgets and rising prices in the category saw many people cut back on...
Find out more$ 695
Chocolate Confectionery - UK by Mintel Market Sizes provides you with annual year-end market size data, most recently updated in 2024. This market covers wrapped countlines, tablets, individually...
Find out more$ 2,995
Taste remains the top priority for consumers, driving the category's flavour-focused direction, reflected in the increasing number of product launches featuring chocolate, a consistently popular choice. Nutrition continues...
Find out more
We have such a great working relationship with Mintel on lots of different levels. As an insight partner, they have helped us to develop our business planning in specific categories as well as supporting our creative process but they’ve also been super helpful with facilitating our events in their inspirational offices near St Paul’s.
They’re an innovative company, with a client-focused team that always delivers.
At Jackman, we believe that powerful strategies are based on human insight. Mintel’s leading-edge reports and insights into consumer attitudes and behaviors are an important input as we develop and execute strategy.
When I’m investigating specific sectors I tend to use Mintel reports for their forecasting, which I’ve always found to be very accurate.
They also offer really broad and deep coverage in their reports. They are very, very detailed. For example, we were able to gain insight across a wide range of business areas from just one report, proving that Mintel is excellent value for money.
So overall, it’s the level of detail and the quality of forecasting that really stand out for me.
Working in a customer-obsessed organization means that data and insights have to be at our fingertips. Mintel’s reports help us support anecdotes with real quantifiable insights. The summary sections (which I really like) helps save time by giving a birds eye view of the content before spending time combing through the pages.
Our business review discussions are strengthened by the relevancy of the reports to help us better understand our customers. In addition, the customer service received from the team (especially in crunch periods) makes the process of understanding customer behavior even better.
One of the biggest challenges we face is the need to get smart on a business or category real quick.
We are talking to clients who live and breathe their category every day and the expectation is that we will be able to get caught up very quickly, and bring the thinking that can help them.
We need to do that often in a matter of days, so it’s not a small ask. Mintel gives us a very articulate view of category conditions and does so at the speed we need it.
From consumer reports to customised growth strategies. We have an option to suit your business requirements.
Find out more
