The cold ham market is worth £828m annually with growth of 4% [TNS Worldpanel 52 w/e 5 Dec 2005]
2.6 billion meals of cold ham were consumed last year
Adult men consume 40% of ham but 36% of total food
Ham consumption peaks on a Monday at 17% of the week&'s total, reducing day-by-day to just 12% on a Sunday
Lunch is the most popular meal occasion
A third of all cold ham is eaten because it is a &'favourite&'
A healthy hero of the lunchbox sandwich
Cold ham is seen as enjoyable, healthy and easy to prepare. Consumption is driven by ham sandwiches, which make up three quarters of total intake. Lunch and the lunchbox are the two top occasions, accounting for more than two thirds of total consumption. But while ham in the lunchbox relies almost exclusively on sandwiches, cold ham (excluding sandwiches) features at one in three in-home meals.
Ham performs least well among 17 to 24-year-olds, who are less likely to prepare a lunchbox. The strongest growth is among children over six and driven by ham sandwiches.
Ninety per cent of GB households spend on average £37.42 per annum on ham, up £1.41 on last year, assisted by the continual growth of private label premium brands.
Richard Lowe, MLC consumer affairs director, said: &"Ham is one of the traditional fridge staple items with very high levels of household penetration and high frequency of purchase and is showing strong YOY growth, driven mainly by consumers trading up to premium variants.&"
Drummond Richards

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