Frozen food has never been so cool. Originally the epitome of futuristic tech in grocery, it spent years with a (largely unfounded) reputation for being unimaginative and low quality.
Then Covid-19 hit, and everything changed. Locked-down shoppers forked out nearly £1bn extra on frozen food in 2020, a 15.1% rise [Kantar 52 w/e 27 December 2020]. Even in the inevitable slowdown of the following year, category value was up about £800m on pre-pandemic figures [Kantar 52 w/e 26 December 2021].
That’s translated into a bonanza for a wealth of hip brands – from Little Moons and Itsu to Moving Mountains and Strong Roots.
Brits have clearly regained respect for the freezer aisle. So, if the category has something to say, now’s the ideal time to say it.
No wonder, then, that the British Frozen Food Federation yesterday (16 August) unveiled plans for a PR push that will use social media to explain how to tackle food waste while also saving money.
Each day of Frozen Food Week, which starts on 5 September, will feature a different food theme and explain how sourcing, portion control and preservation can help reduce food waste.
“We will be encouraging consumers to buy more frozen food by demonstrating how they can reduce the amount of food they throw away and save money,” says BFFF CEO Rupert Ashby.
Both food waste and money management will certainly remain critical issues as the cost of living crisis intensifies. Data from the ONS today shows food and drink prices have surged once again, with inflation in the sector continuing to race ahead of the headline rate. As the UK’s overall inflation rose to 10.1% in the 12 months to July, inflation in food and non-alcoholic beverages hit 12.7%.
Meanwhile, food poverty is escalating, with Trussell Trust handing out more than 2.1 million food parcels in the 2021-22 financial year – its highest-ever figure outside of lockdowns. The trust’s fellow food distributor FareShare is seeing as many as seven million people per year struggling to eat.
At the same time, Wrap estimates 1.1 million tonnes of food are wasted per annum in UK homes, costing people £3.5bn.
Those are the sort of numbers that make the BFFF’s new campaign a no-brainer. And they shine a spotlight on frozen food’s innate qualities of affordability, long life and – in the case of fruit & veg – guaranteed freshness.
Of course, frozen food won’t be able to relieve cost of living concerns on its own. But it may be able to cool them a little.
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