Focus On Ambient and Canned Goods: 23 April

By Daniel Selwood Daniel.Selwood@thegrocer.co.uk 

Publishing: 23 April 2022
Advertising deadline: 8 April 2022
Submissions deadline: 1 April 2022

In times of crisis canned goods almost do fly off the shelves. That was the experience of the early pandemic, where tins of soup, baked beans and much besides were hard to come by. In the past year things have calmed down. But could the spectre of rising living costs breathe new life into the category? Can innovation cater to new demands around sustainability, functional benefits and more? And along the way, can suppliers help draw in those hard-to-please younger consumers?

Cost effectiveness: Canned food has already proven itself in a time of pandemic, but can it also help shoppers out as living costs threaten grocery spending?

Innovation: Brands are trialling new formats and flavours in the ambient aisle as they try to lure in shoppers who have previously snubbed the category. What’s working and what’s not?

Health: Ambient food does not enjoy the greatest health perceptions, but that could be changing as many brands innovate. Can a combination of reducing certain nutrients and adding extra benefits win over shoppers?

Demographics: Shoppers aged 45 and older make up almost three-quarters of the ambient and canned category, according to Kantar. So what can be done to draw younger shoppers in?

Innovations: Profile of four new products or ranges that have not appeared in The Grocer before. We need launch date, rsp, and a hi-res picture of each.