UK Pasta, Rice and Noodles Market Report 2023
£ 2,195 (Excl.Tax)
Description
Stay ahead of the curve and future-proof your business with Mintel’s UK Pasta, Rice and Noodles Market Report 2023. Our full report is packed with consumer-led market intelligence, the latest UK pasta market trends and consumer behaviours affecting your industry. Get a 360° view of the pasta, rice and noodles market including market size, share and forecasted growth to help you align your business strategy with the needs of your audience.
Below, we’ve handpicked the key insights analysed in the full report and summarised the core topics.
Topics Analysed in this Report
- The impact of the cost of living crisis on the pasta, rice and noodles market.
- Key trends in new launch activity in the pasta, rice and noodles market.
- Enticements to buy premium pasta.
- Behaviours related to eating and buying pasta, rice and noodles, including interest in added nutrition.
- Attitudes towards eating pasta, rice and noodles, including the potential to engage users outside the main meal occasion.
Pasta, Rice and Noodles Market Outlook
As consumers continue to see their finances stretched during the cost of living crisis, the relative affordability of the pasta, rice and noodles market will support sales of these foods in the short term. High inflation will leave brands susceptible to trading down by consumers, with own-label set to continue to benefit.
- Pasta, rice and noodles market size: Mintel forecasts that value sales of pasta, rice and noodles will increase to £1826 million in 2028.
Find the total UK retail sales, product launches and forecast for each segment of the pasta, rice and noodles market in the full report, alongside an expert analysis of segment performance.
Pasta, Rice and Noodles Market Trends and Opportunities
Demonstrating added nutritional value will attract consumer attention
There is an opportunity for food brands to win favour by highlighting how pasta, rice and noodles can provide nutritious and well-balanced ingredients and meal solutions. In pasta, high-protein claims are an established, if niche, part of the UK pasta market, typically based on the use of pulses as key ingredients. In order to stand out in this space, brands in the UK pasta market must go beyond simply highlighting a high-protein content
- Pasta, rice and noodles market opportunity: 56% of consumers agree that they are interested in pasta/rice/noodles that contain added healthy ingredients.
Support consumers to save energy when cooking
The current high cost of energy is prompting consumers to seek ways to reduce their energy consumption. Responding to this interest offers a key means for brands in the pasta, rice and noodle market to boost their relevance while energy prices remain high, while it also speaks to the longer-term food sustainability trend.
- Facial skincare opportunity: 66% of pasta/rice/noodle buyers are open to cooking dried variants using energy-saving methods.
To learn how to connect with your audience, purchase our full UK Pasta, Rice and Noodles Market Report 2023. Discover lucrative innovation opportunities to help your business grow during times of financial uncertainty.
Leading Brands in the Pasta, Rice and Noodles Market
Heinz, Napolina, De Cecco, Bens, Tilda, Laila, Veetee, Birds Eye, Amoy, Sharwoods, Maggi.
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Expert Insights from a Food Analyst
This report, written by Claire Finnegan, a leading Food industry analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends in the UK pasta market and add expert context to the numbers.
Value growth in the pasta, rice and noodles market has been largely inflationary in 2022, with volumes broadly stagnant. Once consumer incomes recover, the market will face growing pressures. Exploring use of these meal components outside of the main meal occasion and added health hold potential for maintaining engagement, given consumer interest.”
Claire Finnegan
Research Analyst
Table of Contents
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Overview
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Products covered in this Report
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Executive Summary
- The five-year outlook for pasta, rice and noodles
- Figure 1: Category outlook, 2023-27
- The market
- Inflation fuels value growth in 2022
- Continued pressure on real incomes will support volumes in 2023
- Figure 2: Market size for pasta, rice and noodles, 2017-27
- Health consciousness is slipping as household finances are stretched
- Popularity of world cuisines supports demand for rice and noodles
- Companies and brands
- Pasta, rice and noodle brands face a highly competitive category
- Figure 3: Leading brands’ value sales in the UK retail pasta market, 2020/21- 2022/23
- Figure 4: Leading brands’ value sales in the UK retail rice market, 2020/21- 2022/23
- Pasta leads in launch activity
- Premium products, world flavours and better-for-you pot snacks feature in NPD
- Category sees modest increase in adspend for 2022
- The consumer
- Overall pasta, rice and noodle usage stagnant
- Figure 5: Usage of pasta, rice and noodles in the last 3 months, 2017-18, 2020 and 2023
- Premium opportunities endure despite widespread trading down
- Figure 6: Enticements to buy premium pasta, 2023
- Embrace the unique taste of wholegrain pasta, rice and noodles
- Demonstrating added nutritional value will attract consumer attention
- Figure 7: Behaviours related to pasta, rice and noodles, 2023
- Strong potential to expand pasta, rice and noodles outside of the main meal
- Consumers are keen to learn about how they can save energy when cooking
- Figure 8: Attitudes towards pasta, rice and noodles, 2023
- The five-year outlook for pasta, rice and noodles
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Issues and Insights
- Added nutritional benefits will chime as consumer finances are stretched
- Strong potential to expand pasta, rice and noodles outside of the main meal
- Regional origin warrants further spotlight
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Market Size and Performance
- High inflation propels value growth in the pasta, rice and noodle category
- Figure 9: UK retail value sales of pasta, rice and noodles, 2017-22
- High inflation propels value growth in the pasta, rice and noodle category
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Market Forecast
- The five-year outlook for pasta, rice and noodles
- Figure 10: Category outlook, 2023-27
- The ongoing income squeeze will support volume sales of pasta, rice and noodles in the short term
- Figure 11: Market forecast for retail value sales of pasta, rice and noodles, 2017-27
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- Figure 12: Market forecast for retail volume sales of pasta, rice and noodles, 2017-27
- Learnings from the last income squeeze
- Figure 13: Value and volume sales growth in the pasta, rice and noodles market, 2008-14
- Forecast methodology
- The five-year outlook for pasta, rice and noodles
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Market Segmentation
- Volume sales of pasta have returned to pre-pandemic levels
- Figure 14: UK retail value and volume sales of pasta, by segment, 2020-22
- Value and volume sales of rice boosted from 2021-22
- Figure 15: UK retail value and volume sales of rice, by segment, 2020-22
- Volume sales of pot snacks and instant noodles remain stagnant
- Figure 16: UK retail value and volume sales of instant pot snacks and noodles, by segment, 2020-22
- Volume sales of pasta have returned to pre-pandemic levels
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Market Drivers
- Inflation is a key concern for consumers, brands and the economy
- Consumer Prices Index rises to 10.4%
- Rising supply chain costs propel rapid inflation
- Figure 17: Food, pasta and couscous and rice CPI, 2021-2023
- Further interest rates increases will hit mortgage-holders
- High inflation and rising interest rates will compound the impact of the slowing recovery
- Consumer spending power will be curbed further
- Low unemployment is helping to underpin consumers’ financial resilience
- Consumers’ financial wellbeing has fallen from the highs of 2021…
- Figure 18: Household financial wellbeing index, 2016-23
- …and most people are feeling the effects of price rises
- Reduction in out-of-home eating during the income squeeze is benefiting pasta, rice and noodles
- Cooking from scratch appeals for saving money
- Health efforts challenged during cost of living crisis
- HFSS restrictions to have limited impact on pasta, rice and noodles
- Health consciousness is slipping as household finances are stretched
- Popularity of world cuisines supports demand for rice and noodles
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Market Share
- Napolina loses market share in pasta as own-label grows
- Figure 19: Leading brands’ sales and shares in the UK pasta market, by value and volume, 2020/21- 2022/23
- Ben’s Original continues to lose market share in rice
- Surya Foods’ brands enjoy volume growth in rice
- Figure 20: Leading brands’ sales and shares in the UK rice market, by value and volume, 2020/21- 2022/23
- Own-label continues to play a bit part in noodles
- Figure 21: Leading brands’ sales and shares in the UK noodle market, by value and volume, 2020/21- 2022/23
- Pot Noodle retains top spot in pot snacks market
- Figure 22: Leading brands’ sales and shares in the UK pot snacks market, by value and volume, 2020/21- 2022/23
- Napolina loses market share in pasta as own-label grows
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Launch Activity and Innovation
- Pasta leads in launch activity
- Figure 23: Launches of pasta, rice and noodles products, by sub-category, 2018-2022
- Brands look to added value in NPD
- Brands focused on special diets extend to pasta, rice and noodles
- Figure 24: Pasta, rice and noodle launches catering to special diets, 2022-23
- Italian foodservice brands move into retail with fresh pasta
- Figure 25: Italian foodservice brands move into retail, 2022-23
- New entrants explore premium pasta
- Established players launch added value rice
- Figure 26: Premium fresh pasta launches, 2022-23
- World cuisine flavours continue to feature strongly in NPD
- Brands continue to mine world cuisine flavours in noodles…
- …and pasta and rice
- Figure 27: Pot snack and rice launches with world cuisine flavours, 2022-23
- Pot Noodle takes flavour inspiration from its customers
- Environmentally friendly claims grow in category
- Figure 28: Environmentally friendly front-of-pack packaging claims, 2022-23
- Refill trials continue
- Pot snacks strive to boost their health credentials
- Itsu launched a protein pot noodle range
- Kabuto Noodles reformulated to become HFSS compliant
- Morning Foods launched Oat Made
- Premier Foods launched meat-free lines for Batchelors and Plantastic
- Figure 29: Pot snack launches, 2022-23
- Own-label also explored a better-for-you proposition
- Mars revamps Ben’s Original
- Figure 30: Ben’s Original old and updated packaging post rebrand, 2020-21
- Pasta leads in launch activity
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Advertising and Marketing Activity
- Category sees modest increase in adspend for 2022
- Figure 31: Above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on pasta, rice and noodles*, by top 10 advertisers, 2020-22 (sorted by 2022)
- Premier Foods leads the way on category adspend
- Figure 32: On-pack promotion on Batchelors Super Noodles, 2022
- Unilever’s Pot Noodle continues to run tongue in cheek promotions
- 2021 sees Pot Noodle Black Card and Hotspots Package
- Recent activations target students
- Pot Noodle pokes fun at its Lost the Pot Noodle
- Figure 33: On-pack messaging on Lost the Pot Noodles, 2023
- 2023 campaigns focus on hunger busting and cost of living
- Napolina runs Not So Humble Ingredients marketing campaign
- Tilda launches TV advert ahead of Diwali Festival
- La Famiglia Rana launches ‘Italy’s best kept secret’ pasta campaign
- Ben’s Original launch ‘Everyone’s Original’ campaign
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
- Category sees modest increase in adspend for 2022
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Brand Research
- Brand map
- Figure 34: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, 2023
- Key brand metrics
- Figure 35: Key metrics for selected brands, 2023
- Brand attitudes: Napolina, Tilda and Ben’s Original are most widely seen to offer consistently high quality
- Figure 36: Attitudes, by brand, 2023
- Brand personality: Pot Noodle and Batchelors Super Noodles are seen most widely as fun
- Figure 37: Brand personality – macro image, 2023
- Ben’s Original has strongest family image
- Figure 38: Brand personality – micro image, 2023
- Brand map
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Usage of Pasta, Rice and Noodles
- Overall pasta, rice and noodle usage stagnant
- Figure 39: Usage of pasta, rice and noodles in the last 3 months, 2017-18, 2020 and 2023
- Pasta and rice continue to have an established place in consumer diets
- Figure 40: Frequency of eating pasta, rice and noodles, by type, 2023
- Overall pasta, rice and noodle usage stagnant
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Enticements to buy Premium Pasta
- Widespread trading down amid income squeeze
- Figure 41: Enticements to buy premium pasta, 2023
- Regional origin warrants further spotlight
- Scope to elevate on-pack references to region
- Figure 42: Regional cues on pasta packaging, 2013
- Celebrating regional origin can combat the image of the aisle as uninspiring
- Figure 43: In-store coffee display with regional cues at Sainsbury’s, 2019
- Recognisable quality is widely seen as worth paying more for
- Restaurant-branded pasta products appeal to one in five 16-34s
- Recent entrants embrace filled pasta
- Figure 44: Italian foodservice brands move into retail, 2022-23
- Spotlight on awards offers scope to attract chilled pasta users
- Figure 45: Pasta displaying their quality awards on-pack, 2019-23
- Widespread trading down amid income squeeze
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Behaviours Related to Pasta, Rice and Noodles
- Aligning with consumers’ favourite meals will win favour
- Figure 46: Behaviours related to pasta, rice and noodles, 2023
- Recipe bundles offer an engaging way to show products in the context of meals
- Figure 47: In-store display of Blue Dragon stir fry sauces paired with own-label fresh egg noodles at LIDL Clapham Junction, 2023
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- Figure 48: ASDA’s online baked feta pasta bundle, 2023
- Embrace the unique taste of wholegrain pasta, rice and noodles
- Address negative perceptions around the taste of wholegrain
- Scope to champion the unique flavour profile
- Figure 49: On-pack messaging highlighting the flavour profile and pairing suggestions for wholemeal crackers, wholegrain rice and soba noodles, 2022-23
- Added nutritional benefits will chime as consumer finances are stretched
- Demonstrating added nutritional value will attract consumer attention
- A need to go beyond high-protein claims in pasta
- Figure 50: Wholy Greens Sweet Pumpkin VeggiPasta, 2022
- International rice brands can offer inspiration for the UK market
- Figure 51: Global added nutrition dry rice launches, 2022
- Opportunities for pot snacks to benefit from a nutritionally complete proposition
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- Figure 52: Instant pot launches in UK and France, 2021-22
- Aligning with consumers’ favourite meals will win favour
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Attitudes towards Pasta, Rice and Noodles
- Strong potential to expand pasta, rice and noodles outside of the main meal
- Figure 53: Attitudes towards pasta, rice and noodles, 2023
- Instant pasta/noodle pots can capture attention at the out-of-home lunch
- Tips for bulking up a meal using pasta, rice and noodles will chime as finances are stretched
- Special occasions can be further explored by pasta, rice and noodles
- Figure 54: Instagram ad from La Famiglia Rana’s Mother’s Day Campaign, 2023
- Leveraging the positive connotations of pasta, rice and noodles
- Consumers are keen to learn about how they can save energy when cooking
- Strong potential to expand pasta, rice and noodles outside of the main meal
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Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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Appendix – Market Forecast
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- Figure 55: Market forecast for retail value and volume sales of pasta, rice and noodles, 2017-27
- Market forecast and prediction intervals
- Figure 56: Market forecast and prediction intervals for UK retail value sales of pasta, rice and noodles, 2022-27
- Figure 57: Market forecast and prediction intervals for UK retail volume sales of pasta, rice and noodles, 2022-27
- Market drivers and assumptions
- Forecast methodology
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Appendix – Market Share
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- Figure 58: Leading manufacturers’ sales and shares in the UK pasta market, by value and volume, 2020/21- 2022/23
- Figure 59: Leading manufacturers’ sales and shares in the UK rice market, by value and volume, 2020/21- 2022/23
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- Figure 60: Leading manufacturers’ sales and shares in the UK noodle market, by value and volume, 2020/21- 2022/23
- Figure 61: Leading manufacturers’ sales and shares in the UK pot snacks market, by value and volume, 2020/21- 2022/23
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