Vypr’s latest Consumer Horizon Report found that 33% of consumers shop frozen products for their convenience, while 25% said they shopped for their longer shelf lives. Only 13% cited cost as a reason for their choice.
Further, Two-thirds (66%) of consumers were more likely to buy frozen food that was labelled as sustainably sourced or produced and that over half (55%) would pay extra for frozen foods that were sustainably sourced.
However, nearly half (46%) of consumers associated frozen foods with being heavily processed or containing additives, with 18% feeling this strongly. Should consumers be informed this was not the case, then 66% said they would have a better opinion of frozen foods, rising to 70% in the 35-44 age category.
Matt Everitt from Vypr said: “Frozen food has long been seen as the unsung hero of the supermarket shelves with a reputation for unhealthy and full of UPF.
Changing perceptions
“The work in recent years from brands, supermarkets and the BFFF is paying off as almost nine in 10 consumers (89%) think that the nutritional quality of frozen foods has improved in recent years, with a quarter (26%) saying the improvement has been significant.
“This paints a great picture for the future of frozen, even more so as the key factor to make people more likely to shop frozen was more product variety (46%) which just topped those looking for a price sensitive shop (44%).”
Provenance of frozen food has also become more important, with more than half (52%) of UK consumers considering the origin of frozen foods as important. When choosing frozen products, more than a third of shoppers (34%) will check to see if it has been locally grown or produced.
In addition to sustainability and provenance, 25% of consumers were attracted to frozen products with a FairTrade label, while just over one in five (24%) looked for award-winning badges and a further 23% look for ethical labour practices.
Preservatives and additives
Two-thirds (65%) of consumers check to see if preservatives, artificial flavours or additives have been added to frozen foods.
Commenting on the report, British Frozen Food Federation chief executive Rupert Ashby said the findings were hugely positive for the frozen food industry but showed there was still a way to go to win over consumer trust that frozen has always been a healthy option.
“As new demographics explore the frozen aisles, expectations are shifting. Health and wellness concerns are becoming more prominent, and sustainability has taken centre stage as one of the few areas where people are willing to pay more,” he continued.
“Brands that can successfully balance sustainability and health with taste, convenience, and price are well-positioned to thrive. However, we need to keep informing consumers about all the benefits to overcome lingering misconceptions around additives and processing.”
