While lunchtime foods bought from retail shops remain a popular choice in 2025, they are not a frequent go-to for most people, only 17% eating them at least three times a week. These foods face competition from foodservice, other meal options in supermarkets and homemade alternatives. While the ongoing financial uncertainty lends retail products an edge over the former, it has dialled up the appeal of the cost savings offered by the latter.
An image of being highly processed poses a threat to lunchtime foods in retail. 72% of people who eat and buy these foods hold this opinion, while 58% report making more lunches at home due to concerns about ultra-processed foods (UPFs). This rises to 64% among those who see these foods as highly processed, signalling a pressing need for retailers and brands to address such views.
A lunchtime food being filling is a priority for just under half (47%) of people who eat and buy these. While no nutrients are approved to claim to offer satiety, brands can tap into the widely held views that high-fibre and high-protein foods keep you fuller for longer.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Overall usage and frequency of use of lunchtime foods bought in retail
- Key trends in lunchtime foods launch activity and future opportunities
- Factors that indicate good value for buyers in lunchtime foods, including promotions and exciting flavours
- Factors most prioritised when choosing lunchtime foods, including being filling
- Behaviours related to lunchtime foods, including the image of the category as heavily processed
High-protein and -fibre options offer strong potential to cater to demand for filligness. However, the category must overcome challenges related to its UPF image.
Isabelle Shilling, Research Analyst
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Opportunities for lunchtime foods in retail
- Half of category users/buyers look for fillingness
- Newness holds untapped potential
- Interest in salad bars points to opportunities
- Market dynamics – prepackaged sandwiches in retail
- Value sales of prepackaged sandwiches slow sharply in 2024
- Graph 1: value sales in the retail prepackaged fresh sandwiches^ market, 2019-24
- Own label continues to dominate prepackaged sandwich sales in 2023/24
- Graph 2: leading brands’ value sales of UK prepackaged fresh sandwiches retail market^, 2021-24
- Strong consumer interest in healthy eating
- Graph 3: how often people try to eat healthily, 2018-24
- What consumers want and why
- Lunchtime foods in retail are an infrequent choice for most
- One in six eat retail lunchtime foods three or more times a week
- Graph 4: frequency of eating lunchtime foods bought in retail, 2021 and 2025
- Leisure occasions continue to lead
- Graph 5: usage of lunchtime foods bought in retail on leisure, work and on-the-go occasions, 2021 and 2025
- Sandwiches and pastry-based products are top lunchtime foods
- Graph 6: types of lunchtime foods bought in retail, 2021 and 2025
- In-store remains most common retail channel
- Graph 7: retail channels for buying lunch, 2025
- Many see promotions as a marker of good value
- Graph 8: factors that indicate good value in lunchtime foods from retail, 2025
- Half of category buyers/users look for fillingness
- Graph 9: factors prioritised when choosing lunchtime foods from retail, 2025
- Many see lunchtime foods as highly processed
- Graph 10: behaviours related to lunchtime foods from retail, 2025
- Innovation
- M&S launches brain health range; protein attracts launches
- Established brands expand offerings
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MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market size – prepackaged fresh sandwiches in retail
- Sandwich sales see growth decelerate amid slowing inflation
- Graph 11: value sales in the retail prepackaged fresh sandwiches^ market, 2019-24
- Own-label continues to dominate sales in 2023/24
- Graph 12: leading brands’ value sales of UK prepackaged fresh sandwiches retail market^, 2021-24
- Urban Eats remains the top brand, The Gym Kitchen enters food-to-go market
- Market drivers
- Real wage growth continues, many consumers are still catching up
- Graph 13: CPI inflation rate and total pay growth rate, 2021-25
- Three in ten see their finances as healthy
- Graph 14: the financial wellbeing index, 2016-25
- Consumer confidence for the year ahead falls in 2024
- Graph 15: the financial confidence index, 2016-25
- Hybrid work rises in 2024
- Graph 16: working location, 2021-24
- Strong consumer interest in healthy eating
- Graph 17: how often people try to eat healthily, 2018-24
- Highly processed foods come under scrutiny, also in lunchtime foods
- Key age groups’ growth buoys demand
- Graph 18: trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2020-30
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Usage frequency of lunchtime foods in retail
- Lunchtime foods in retail are an infrequent choice for most
- Graph 19: usage frequency of lunchtime foods from retail, 2021 and 2025
- Younger groups are core users of lunchtime foods in retail
- Graph 20: usage frequency of lunchtime foods from retail, by age, 2025
- Full-time workers and parents are also key users
- Graph 21: usage frequency of lunchtime foods from retail, by working situation and children in household, 2025
- When lunchtime foods are eaten
- Leisure occasions continue to take the lead
- Graph 22: usage of lunchtime foods bought in retail on leisure, work and on-the-go occasions, 2021 and 2025
- Lunch at the workplace remains a key occasion
- Graph 23: when lunchtime foods from retail are eaten, 2021 and 2025
- Retail channels for buying lunchtime foods from retail
- In-store remains most common retail channel
- Graph 24: retail channels for buying lunch, 2025
- Immediate availability matters to the young and parents
- Three in five users pre-buy lunch
- Types of lunchtime foods bought in retail
- Sandwiches and pastry-based products are top lunchtime foods
- Graph 25: types of lunchtime foods bought in retail, 2021 and 2025
- Meal pots, sushi and chilled soup see usage peak among under-35s
- Graph 26: buying of selected lunchtime foods in retail, by age, 2025
- Factors that indicate good value in lunchtime foods
- Many see promotions as a marker of good value
- Graph 27: factors that indicate good value in lunchtime foods from retail, 2025
- Promotions and low price are popular indicators of value for money…
- …however, premium options remain highly relevant
- Exciting flavours mark good value for a third of users
- …making constant flow of newness is crucial
- Exciting flavours can drive standout in better-for-you space
- Extend seasonality beyond Christmas
- Flavours to watch: Caribbean, Japanese and hot and spicy American
- Factors prioritised when choosing lunchtime foods
- Half of category buyers/users look for filling lunch products
- Importance of fillingness reflects core role of lunch
- Graph 28: factors prioritised when choosing lunchtime foods from retail, 2025
- Large portion sizes have a role to play…
- …with The Gym Kitchen and Pot Noodle offering inspiration
- Fibre and protein can drive associations with fillingness
- ‘Fuel for the day’ messaging in other categories offers cues for lunchtime foods
- Behaviours related to lunchtime foods from retail
- Many see lunchtime foods as highly processed
- Graph 29: behaviours related to lunchtime foods in retail, 2025
- UPF concerns threaten lunchtime foods category
- Many feel guilty for not making a lunch at home
- Highlight familiar ingredients and better-for-you attributes
- Remind consumers of how similar shop-bought products can be to homemade meals
- Healthy attributes have potential to drive interest
- Show how lunchtime products deliver plant variety
- Packaging design remains a key way to forge better-for-you connotations
- Interest in salad bars points to opportunities
- More than half of lunch buyers are interested in salad bars
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INNOVATION TRENDS
- Launch activity and innovation
- Scope
- Cathedral City and Gingsters look to tie-ups
- Pukka and Urban Eats draw inspiration from world cuisines
- M&S explores brain and gut health
- The Gym Kitchen and Myprotein expand offering
- NPD continues to tap seasonal occasions
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APPENDIX
- Supplementary data – market share
- UK: leading brands’ value sales and share in the prepackaged retail market^, 2021/22-2023/24
- Report scope and definitions
- Products covered in this Report
- Abbreviations and terms
- Consumer research methodology
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