Focus On World Cuisine: 12 November

By Rick Bull rick@r-bmarketing.co.uk 

Publishing: 12 November 2022
Advertising deadline: 3 November 2022
Submissions deadline: 27 October 2022

As inflation has spread throughout the British economy, shoppers have increasingly sought to trade down. Out goes the pricey branded product and in comes the cheaper own label alternative. Except, that is, in ready meals. While shoppers bought 3.3% fewer ready meals in the last year, branded products have thrived. Volumes are up almost a fifth, even as prices rise by 4.7%. So why are shoppers being drawn to branded ready meals even as most are trying to save money? Which styles of cuisine are thriving as spending habits change? And how can the grocery industry continue to make the most of this growth?

Trading down: Financial pressure is expected to prompt shoppers to switch from restaurants into premium grocery options. How are brands and retailers preparing to capitalise?

Own label: Although own label chilled ready meals have declined in the past year, they are still dominant. How can retailers put the segment back into growth?

HFSS: With the first HFSS measures taking effect at the start of October, how have retailers adapted world cuisine? What healthy innovation has emerged? And how are consumers responding?

Styles: Italian continued to grow as the leading style in ready meals, adding both value and volume. Thai and other Far Eastern food also posted significant growth. What is driving the successes?

Retailers: While most retailers saw strong value growth for chilled ready meals – partly the result of price rises – Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and The Co-op posted value declines. Why are some retailers losing out?

South America: Last autumn saw the opening of Inca London, a Latin American restaurant. It’s spurring interest in a world cuisine that has yet to establish itself in the UK. What’s the potential?

Innovations: We will profile 4 new products or ranges that have ideally not appeared in The Grocer before. We need launch date, rsp, and a hi-res picture of each