Scratch cooking is making a comeback, with sales of fresh meat and poultry soaring as consumers cut back on takeaways and eating out.
Data sourced by NIQ for Food Manufacture’s sister title the Grocer, shows that over the last 12 months, British consumers are making more meals at home. Among the top fastest growing categories, fresh meat claimed the number one spot (+£463.5m).
Fresh fruit (+£463.5m), vegetables (+£374m) and salad (+£285.3m) were next on the list, with poultry in fifth at +£247.6m.
Meanwhile, freshly prepared dried herbs and spices also saw big volume growth, witnessing the larger climb among all 127 categories analysed and underscoring the trend towards home-cooked meals.
Looking at meat and poultry options, beef (+£242.1m) and chicken (+£212m) were among the most popular and fastest growing, but lamb and duck also enjoyed strong growth.
The meat-free category on the hand continues to decline (-£37.1m), dipping below £500m in value. Market leader Quorn (-£16.5m) was the biggest casualty, although some brands are still in growth.
The NIQ data also shows that UK shoppers have cut back on some dairy products, with milk (-£223.3m) and butter, spreads and margarine (-£63.7m) taking big hits, as significant inflation in these categories over the past two years takes its toll.
The data shows a mixed picture for the wrapped bread market, with Hovis (-£37.7m) experiencing the biggest downturn in sales of any food brand; while Warburtons (+£57.6m) was the biggest food brand to be in value and volume growth.
Inflationary impact
With inflation now largely under control in grocery retail, the reintroduction of branded promotions has helped stem the slump in overall branded volumes. But inflation is still having a material impact on the market.
Chocolate recorded the biggest increase in value sales across the Top Products Survey but volumes fell and most value gains reflected price increases linked to high cocoa commodity prices.
Another casualty, most likely driven by the cost of living crisis but also in part due to government duty hikes, was alcohol. Spirits (-£52.6m), sparkling wine (-£19.9m) and champagne (-£12.1m) all fared badly.
Alcohol brands accounted for 50% of the top 10 fastest falling products, including lager brands Foster’s (-£34m) and Carling (-£22.2m) as well as the UK’s leading gin brand Gordon’s (-£21.4m).
Wine sales (+£242.4m) performed better, although Hardys (-£41m), and Blossom Hill (-£22.7m) were some of the biggest losers overall in terms of value sales.
Meanwhile energy drinks enjoyed growth, with Monster (+£103.6m) and Red Bull (+£84.7m) the strongest performing brands in terms of value sales. But, after viral success, sales of Prime (-£63.1m) came crashing down.
“Shopping habits have changed once again. What we are seeing in this year’s survey is a return to scratch cooking and the preparation of fresh meals. Perhaps this is a nod to trends in healthier living – with consumers taking the time to prepare meals together, sourcing fresh and healthy products and consuming less alcohol – but it’s also a product of the cost of living crisis, as shoppers cut back on takeaways and eating out to save money,” said Rachel White, managing director UK & Ireland at NIQ.
