When cold ham is eatennIn the past 12 months, 2.6 billion meals included cold ham, the same number as in the previous year
nSeven out of every 10 meals including cold ham are at lunchtime, four of these at home and three from a lunchbox
Healthy connections of the definitive fridge staple
Some 70% of cold ham is eaten for lunch, either in the home or as part of a lunchbox. Cold ham lunches at home are in growth, up 3% year-on-year.
Adult females are the main consumers of cold ham in home lunches, representing 47% of what is eaten at home at lunchtime. Their consumption of cold ham at in-home lunches is growing 6% year-on-year.
Cold ham in the lunchbox is down 2% year-on-year. However, this is in line with an overall decline in lunchbox foods compared with last year.
Men aged 17-64 account for 47% of cold ham eaten out of a lunchbox. This is nearly always eaten in a sandwich.
Cold ham is most likely to be eaten on a Monday, with consumption tailing off as the week progresses. This follows the trend associated with foods perceived as healthy. However, only 13% of cold ham is consumed for health reasons. It probably follows a healthy pattern because of the types of foods it is eaten with; for example, 37% is consumed with salad.
MLC marketing director Richard Lowe says: “95% of all households buy sliced cooked meats and ham dominates the category. It is the definitive fridge staple item among all proteins, considered versatile, convenient and healthy.
“Less than a third of standard ham buyers also buy premium ham so there remains a big opportunity to grow the premium sector further.”
Chris Ponton, TNS
Produced for The Grocer by TNS
Year to November 2004. For more information call 01372 825770. Next week: yellow fats

Topics