What are British Muslim shoppers buying from the supermarkets?

Britain’s Muslim population is growing and so too is the retail space dedicated to the once specialist products targeted towards this burgeoning customer base. Adults who identified as Muslim accounted for 4.9% (2.7 million) of the population in 2011, rising to 6.5% (3.9 million) of the population in 2021, according to the Office for National Statistics. 

Against this backdrop, UK supermarkets are reflecting on how to make their stores more inclusive for Muslim shoppers and how they can cash in on key calendar events, such as Ramadan and Eid.

From offering better value on scratch-cooking staples, to tapping into key food & drink trends sought out by younger shoppers, buyers from Tesco and Morrisons have shared their key takeaways for catering to the Muslim population for Ramadan and beyond. 

 

David John, Tesco world foods buying manager

What is Tesco doing to make its range more inclusive for Muslim shoppers?

We work closely with our Muslim customers and colleagues to ensure that our Ramadan proposition is as strong as it can be, and listen carefully to feedback to continually improve our offer.

We’ve found that 70% of Muslims see Tesco as an inclusive retailer, which reflects our commitment to celebrating the diverse customer base we serve and helping customers mark the moments which are special to them [Basis Tesco Comms Tracker, April 2023].

What trends are younger Muslim shoppers seeking in food & drink?

Younger generations of Muslims still want authentic and familiar brands and products, but they are also interested in more convenient meal solutions, modern cuisines and flavours – alongside consistently great value, of course. 

Which products sell particularly well during Ramadan?

As families and communities come together each evening to break the fast, key staples such as rice, oil and flour see significant uplifts, as well as products that are used specifically for iftar, such as dates.

Meals are typically centred around vegetables, fruits, pulses, halal meats, breads, cheeses and sweets, and we see Muslim customers buying more across all these products throughout Ramadan.

Foods that provide enough sustained energy to support fasting are very important, such as brown rice and wholemeal flour, oats, nuts and lentils. Demand for giftable items also increases during this period, such as collections of premium dates and boxes of sweets and chocolates. 

What’s been Tesco’s most popular piece of NPD this Ramadan?

We have seen huge success in our frozen halal offering during Ramadan, where customers can find a wide range of great-value products that are perfect for large family meals. Our new halal leg of lamb has been a particularly big hit with customers this year.

We’ve found that 70% of Muslims see Tesco as an inclusive retailer, which reflects our commitment to celebrating the diverse customer base we serve

David John, Tesco world foods buying manager

 

 

Read more: What UK Muslims really want from supermarkets

 

Tushar Bhatnagar, Morrisons world foods buying manager

We were the first retailer to go live with our Ramadan range on 28 December.

We have also been helping our customers save costs this Ramadan with offers on food cupboard essentials, meal prep items and sweet treats, with better than half-price savings. We have launched key deals across a number of commodity items that we know our customers love and use across the holy month. This includes deals on essentials like rice, flour, oil and drinks, which are perfect for scratch cooking.

This Ramadan, we have also launched compelling deals across our fresh and frozen range in time for our customers’ fasting period. Across fresh, we have a number of great offers on halal ready meals, pre-packed halal meats, yoghurt drinks and fresh desserts. In addition to this, across frozen we have key deals on samosas and food platters, which are perfect for sharing.

What food & drink products are young Muslim shoppers buying?

This Ramadan we have noticed trends across various categories. Firstly, we have seen a spike in sales across the pre-packed drinks category, especially Rubicon, due to the warmer weather this year.

Additionally, throughout the holy month we have noticed that many of our customers are stocking up on a range of goods ahead of the celebrations starting. These goods include KTC vermicelli noodles, pre-packed halal meats and dates. 

Which products sell particularly well during Ramadan?

Breaking your fast with dates is an important part of Ramadan for many, so we always see strong sales across our range. This year we have launched an exclusive 4kg Al Munawarah box, which has sold exceptionally well.

Bigger packs with better value also continue to be important for customers on scratch cooking essentials with flour, rice and oil all performing well. We’ve seen strong sales in our pre-packed halal ready meals and pre-prepared meat ranges, which are new for us this year, as well as soft drinks such as Rubicon and Irn-Bru.

What have been your favourite pieces of NPD recently?

We’ve seen a 24-chocolate box for Eid at exceptional value for customers, at only £2.99, and Ramadan Advent calendars for our younger shoppers.

We have seen a spike in sales across the pre-packed drinks category, especially Rubicon, due to the warmer weather this year

Tushar Bhatnagar, Morrisons world foods buying manager