Ready meals/ready-to-cook foods are expected to see volume sales return to modest growth in 2024, driven by an impressive performance from the frozen segment. Rising financial confidence will continue to fuel modest volume growth in the category over the next five years.
UK Ready Meals Industry Analysis
Improving financial confidence is expected to see health become a higher priority for consumers, and thus also in the ready meals/ready-to-cook category. Manufacturers can tap into this interest by spotlighting nutrition and healthy ingredients, and by further leveraging high protein and fibre call-outs. However, tackling the negative perceptions about the taste of healthy ready meals will be crucial to unlock this potential.
The airfryer trend represents a substantial untapped opportunity for ready meals. While more than half (55%) of UK consumers express interest in a ready meal that can be prepared in an airfryer, airfryer call-outs remain scarce in the category.
UK Ready Meals Market Statistics
- UK ready meals market size: Retail value sales of ready meals/ready-to-cook foods are estimated to grow by more than 7% in 2024, mainly driven by inflation in the category.
- UK ready meals market observation: Chilled ready meals are the most popular, leading on usage. Nearly three-quarters of UK adults consumed these in the three months to May 2024.
- UK ready meal purchase factors: ‘Low-in’ claims (eg low-in salt, low in saturated fat) have appeal, as over half of buyers prioritise these kinds of claims when shopping for a ready meal/ready-to-cook food.
UK Ready Meals and Ready-to-Cook Foods Market Report – What’s Inside?
Key Topics Analysed in the Report
- Key trends in launch activity and future opportunities.
- Usage of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods and key demographics.
- The most important factors when purchasing a healthy ready meal/ready-to-cook food, including protein and fibre call-outs.
- Behaviours related to ready meals/ready-to-cook foods, including the appeal of visible healthy ingredients and texture variety within the category.
- Concepts of interest in ready meals/ready-to-cook foods, including airfryer compatibility.
Report Scope
This Report examines ready meals and ready-to-cook foods. Mintel’s definition includes products sold through the grocery retail channel including:
- Chilled, frozen and shelf-stable ready meals, including complete and part meals, and meal centres. This includes complete meals such as spaghetti Bolognese and curry with rice. It also includes part meals/meal centres to which the consumer may, but need not, add items such as vegetables, pasta or rice, such as chicken tikka or beef casserole.
- Ready-to-cook foods are chilled foods specifically positioned as needing no further preparation on the part of the consumer other than opening the packet and cooking the product according to the on-pack instructions. The major grocers have developed their own specific sub-branded ranges of such foods, such as the Sainsbury’s Just Cook range. It should be noted that some sectors of the trade use the terms ‘part prepared’ or ‘partially prepared foods’ – both terms are deemed to refer to ready-to-cook foods as defined for the purpose of this Report.
- ‘Pies’ that have no pastry content (for example, shepherd’s pie) and, therefore, do not conform to Mintel’s definition of a pie, are included as ready meals in this Report.
Market size data includes all retail sales of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods through the grocery retail channel, but excludes direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales typically ordered by telephone or online from ready meals specialists (eg Wiltshire Farm Foods) and ‘meals on wheels’.
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
This report was written by Isabelle Shilling. Isabelle joined Mintel in 2021, in her current role she writes and produces reports which cover a variety of topics within the UK food and drink industry.
Volume sales grew modestly in 2024. Better-for-you NPD remains a key opportunity, including visible healthy ingredients and high protein/fibre call-outs.
Isabelle Shilling
Research Analyst
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Executive Summary
- Opportunities for the ready meals and ready-to-cook market
- High protein and fibre remain opportunity areas
- Visible healthy ingredients chime
- Half of consumers look for airfryer compatible ready meals
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Market size & forecast
- Market predictions for ready meals and ready-to-cook foods
- Value sales to grow over next five years
- Inflation remains main engine of value growth, volumes bounce back in 2024
- Graph 1: retail value and volume sales of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, 2020-24
- Chilled and frozen meals enjoy volume growth
- Graph 2: retail value sales of ready meals/ready-to-cook foods, by segment, 2022-24
- Own-label continues to hold majority share in chilled
- Graph 3: retail sales of leading brands in chilled ready-to-heat and ready-to-cook meals, by value, 2021/22-2023/24
- Own-label continues to dominate in other segments
- Healthy eating intentions rise
- Graph 4: how often people try to eat healthily, 2017-22 and 2024
- What consumers want and why
- Usage of ready meals/ready-to-cook foods increases in 2024
- Graph 5: types of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods eaten, 2022-24
- ‘Low-in’ claims widely prioritised in healthy meals
- Graph 6: most important factors when purchasing a healthy ready meal/ready-to-cook food, 2024
- Three in five buy a side salad/vegetables to go with a ready meal
- Graph 7: behaviours related to ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, 2024
- Airfryer compatibility appeals widely among consumers
- Graph 8: concepts of interest in ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, 2024
- Innovation and marketing
- Own-label continues to dominate launches
- Graph 9: launches of prepared meals, by private label vs branded, 2019-23 and January-September 2024
- Retailers add to own-label ready meal ranges
- Brands target dine-in, plant-based and comfort food demand
- Advertising spend falls in 2023
- Graph 10: total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on ready meals, by advertiser, 2021-24
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Market Dynamics
- Market size
- Inflation remains main engine of value growth, volumes bounce back in 2024
- Graph 11: retail value and volume sales of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, 2020-24
- Market forecast
- Retail value sales of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods
- Volumes sales to grow modestly over next five years
- Rising financial confidence will bolster volume sales
- Value sales to grow over next five years
- Inflation and trading up will boost value sales growth
- Market segmentation
- Chilled segment makes a modest recovery in 2024
- Graph 12: retail value sales of ready meals/ready-to-cook foods, by segment, 2022-23
- Frozen segment outperforms chilled
- Graph 13: retail volume sales of ready meals/ready-to-cook foods, by segment, 2022-24
- Market share
- Own-label loses ground in chilled ready meals
- Graph 14: retail sales of leading brands in chilled ready-to-heat and ready-to-cook meals, by value, 2021/22-2023/24
- Charlie Bigham’s and restaurant brands gain share in chilled meals
- Own-label continues to appeal in frozen ready meals
- Graph 15: retail value sales of leading brands in frozen ready meals, by value, 2021/22-2023/34
- Own-label volumes struggle, John West bucks segment’s volume decline
- Graph 16: retail sales of leading brands in ambient ready meals, by value, 2021/22-2023/24
- Macro-economic factors
- Inflation is still the key factor affecting consumers’ finances
- Graph 17: CPI inflation rate, 2021-24
- Food and drink prices still top the list of consumer concerns
- Graph 18: cost of living related issues noticed in the last two months, 2024
- Consumer confidence for the year ahead weakens
- Graph 19: the financial confidence index, 2016-24
- Ready meal category experiences high inflation in 2023
- Graph 20: CPI annual rate, ready meals, restaurant meals and all foods, 2016-24
- Social, environmental and legal factors
- Government measures on HFSS slow to roll out
- HFSS has limited impact on ready meals category
- Healthy eating intentions rise
- Graph 21: how often people try to eat healthily, 2017-22 and 2024
- Media spotlight fuels concerns around ultra-processed foods
- Under-35s’ share of population will shrink
- Graph 22: population, by age, 2004-64
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What Consumers Want and Why
- Usage of ready meals/ready-to-cook foods
- Usage of ready meals/ready-to-cook foods increases in 2024
- Graph 23: types of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods eaten, 2022-24
- Chilled ready meals are the most popular type
- Ready meals remain an occasional choice for many
- Graph 24: frequency of eating ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, 2024
- Young people remain primary users of ready meals
- Graph 25: usage of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods at least once a week, by age, 2024
- Improving household finances will support uptake
- Graph 26: usage of ready meals/ready-to-cook foods at least three times a week, by financial situation, 2024
- Most important factors when purchasing a healthy ready meal
- Priorities for healthy ready meals vary
- Graph 27: most important factors when purchasing a healthy ready meal/ready-to-cook food, 2024
- Improvements to financial confidence will see efforts to eat healthily rise
- ‘Low-in’ claims widely prioritised…
- … however healthy ready meals face poor taste perceptions
- Asda spotlights positive nutrition and healthy ingredients
- High protein and fibre remain opportunity areas
- Many look for high protein in healthy ready meals
- Calling out grams of protein holds potential for mainstream better-for-you meals
- Fibre call-outs remain warranted
- High-protein and fibre call-outs can appeal to those looking for satiety
- Behaviours related to ready meals/ready-to-cook foods
- Visible healthy ingredients appeal to many
- Graph 28: behaviours related to ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, 2024
- Visible healthy ingredients chime
- Many look for visible healthy ingredients
- Packaging design has a key role to play in showcasing ingredients
- Lack of variety of textures in ready meals is off-putting for two in three
- Premium and international meals celebrate textures
- Scope to explore additions that add texture to a dish
- Many buy a side salad/vegetables to go with a ready meal
- Vegetables/sides a route to bring healthy ingredients and texture to meals
- Chilled ready meals are widely seen as better for you than frozen
- Birds Eye highlights benefits of freezing
- Concepts of interest in ready meals/ready-to-cook foods
- Half of consumers look for airfryer compatible ready meals
- Airfryer compatibility appeals widely in ready meals
- Graph 29: concepts of interest in ready meals and ready-to-cook foods, 2024
- Retailers and brands tap into airfryer buzz
- Airfryer compatible ready meals rare in UK
- International launches offer cues
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Innovation And Marketing Trends
- Launch activity and innovation
- Own-label continues to dominate launches
- Graph 30: launches of prepared meals, by private label vs branded, 2019-23 and January-September 2024
- Asda overhauls own-label meal solutions
- Tesco launches Root & Soul, Waitrose extends Easy to Cook range
- Market leaders in other categories make their mark
- Specialist brands expand their presence
- Vegetarian and premium meals gain share of launches
- Graph 31: leading claims in new products launches in the prepared meals market, 2019-24
- Premium own-brand ranges get updates
- Charlie Bigham’s extends range, Jamie Oliver launches frozen meals
- New entrants aim to offer restaurant-quality meals
- The Real Greek and Pizza Express launch ready meals
- Ambient meals gain share of launches
- Graph 32: new products launches in the prepared meals market, by storage type, 2019-24
- Tilda and Geeta’s launch ambient sides
- Patak’s and Ben’s Original look to offer quick meals
- Merchant Gourmet, Veg Table and Steamfresh spotlight plant ingredients in new launches
- New launches spotlight plant ingredients
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Advertising spend falls in 2023
- Graph 33: total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on ready meals, by advertiser, 2021-24
- Charlie Bigham’s launches biggest ad campaign to date
- TV ad invites viewers to “Meet Charlie Bigham”
- Birds Eye supports Steamfresh expansion with new ad
- Steamy ad campaign from Birds Eye
- M&S marks 20th anniversary of Gastropub range
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Appendix
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on ready meals, by advertiser
- Market segmentation
- Ready meals and ready-to-cook foods market segmentation
- Market share
- UK retail sales of leading brands in chilled meals, by value, 2021/22-2023/24
- UK retail sales of leading brands in chilled meals, by volume, 2021/22-2023/24
- UK retail sales of leading brands in frozen ready meals, by volume, 2021/22-2023/24
- UK retail sales of leading brands in ambient ready meals, by volume, 2021/22-2022/23
- Market forecast data and methodology
- Market forecast
- Market forecast and prediction intervals (value)
- Market forecast and prediction intervals (volume)
- Forecast methodology
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Market definition continued
- Abbreviations and terms
- Consumer research methodology
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
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