Providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date information and analysis of the Ready Meals and Ready-to-Cook Foods market, its consumers and the major players who make up that market.
In conjunction with IRi, extensive point of sale data shows you what consumers are spending their money on
Market SizeHow big is the market today and what is our 5 year forecast? Includes both best & worst case scenarios
Market SegmentationWhat are the different segments within the market and how are those individual segments performing?
What are consumers looking for, what drives their buying habits and what are their main purchase influencers?
Demographic breakdownFrom iGen & Millennials to Baby Boomers & beyond. Who is spending money and what are they spending it on?
Representative sampleWe gather our data from real-world consumers, selected to accurately reflect precise global demographics
What are the key players doing, what has been successful for them and what was their marketing spend?
Product innovationUsing data from our Global New Product Database, what products were launched and how well were they perceived?
OpportunitiesWhat happens next, which areas are likely to experience growth and what opportunities exist within the market?
Written by Alyson Parkes, a leading analyst in the Food & Drink sector, his extensive knowledge delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.
The influx of premium launches has underpinned the strong growth in the market, while NPD in healthy ready meals has also tapped into the overarching health trend. The return of salt to media headlines, however, will ramp up pressure on companies to try to reduce the salt content of products. Proving the suitability of ready meals for children could also offer boosts for the category.
Alyson Parkes
Food & Drink Analyst
What are the key challenges facing the industry and how fast are its rates of growth? Who is the consumer and what do they want? Where are the opportunities, where are the risks and what lies ahead?
This report discusses the following key topics:
This Report examines ready meals and ready-to-cook foods. Mintel’s market size includes products sold through the grocery retail channel and direct to consumers including:
Chilled and frozen 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 (including burgers in a bap/bun) to which the consumers may, but need not, add items such as vegetables, pasta or rice, such as single ethnic dishes like chicken tikka.
Ready-to-cook (RTC) foods are chilled food 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.
Estimated at £3,189 million in 2018, total sales of ready meals and ready-to-cook foods grew by 21.3% over 2013-18, while volumes grew by 12.2%. Ready meals are an established part of consumers’ mealtime options, with 93% of UK adults eating them. Of these, chilled ready meals are eaten the most often, with families and men under 25 being core users.
The strong focus on premium launches has added value to the market, on top of inflationary pressure. The chilled ready meal segment has enjoyed strong growth; the focus on premium meals appears to have helped combat some of the negative associations that the market has previously suffered from.
Innovation in healthy ready meals that includes added/high protein content and highlighting the limited calorie content of meals has also supported this strong performance. However, sizeable interest in low-salt ready meals indicates an area for manufacturers to focus on going forward, particularly as salt has returned to media headlines.
Can I purchase a specific section?
Can I receive a sample report?
Why buy syndicated research?
This market report provides in-depth analysis and insight supported by a range of data. At the same time, introductory and top-level content is provided to give you an overview of the issues covered.
Mintel provides a range of market information, frequently through the category level, including market size and forecasting, complete with market drivers that illustrate the forces that shape a category or market.
Mintel's proprietary consumer research provides our analysts with the attitudinal and behavioral data used to provide valuable insight to topical issues.
Mintel provides overviews of the top brands and manufacturers, and uses consumer research to explore attitudes and reactions to brands, as well as insight into what will resonate with consumers.
Market reports provide appendices of data to support the research and insight produced. Our tables of data are easily manipulated and downloadable to support your research needs and covers factors from consumer attitudes to market forecasts.
* This is a sample representation of the report layout and does not reflect the research included in this report.
Our reports will provide you with market data, consumer research and competitive intelligence to succeed in your market.
Buy now and you'll have instant access to the information you need to make the right decisions.
Find out what's next in the markets that matter to you: where opportunities lie and what challenges you will face.
A business Superbrand, Mintel is a source you can trust. We have been defining and refining the Market Intelligence mix since 1972.
