Skip to main content

20% of ready meals now plant-based or vegetarian – survey

// New survey shows that 1 in 5 ready meals sold at supermarkets now plant-based or vegetarian
// Aldi & Tesco named as two best performers for increasing their plant-based options by 175% & 103% respectively
// Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s “continue to have very meaty ranges”

A fifth of ready meals sold by UK supermarkets are now plant-based or vegetarian and are the cheapest option at the majority of retailers, according to a new survey.

Among the ready meal category, plant-based options are the fastest growing, up by 92 per cent since the Eating Better alliance’s first survey in 2018.

The organisation named Aldi and Tesco as its two best performers for increasing their plant-based options by 175 per cent and 103 per cent respectively after surveying 2743 ready meals across 10 UK supermarkets.

READ MORE:

Tesco and the Co-op have significantly reduced their meat-based ready meal ranges but Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s “continue to have very meaty ranges”, while Iceland’s range remains at its 2018 level of 85 per cent meat-based, the report said.

According to the latest research by Mintel, 86 per cent of UK adults eat ready meals, with three in 10 people eating chilled ready meals at least once a week.

The study also found plant-based ready meals were cheaper per portion than meat meals at seven out of 10 chains.

The alliance said the Co-op was one supermarket to have significantly altered its pricing, with meat-based meals going from being eight per cent cheaper than its plant-based options last year to the opposite this year, with meat meals now nine per cent more expensive than plant-based.

Overall, the survey found a 50 per cent increase in plant-based and vegetarian meals since 2018, with one in five ready meals on offer now plant-based or vegetarian.

The amount of cheese in vegetarian meals is also down a third in three years to 62 per cent.

“Retailers influence how and what we eat and have a responsibility to help us make healthy and sustainable food choices,” Eating Better executive director Simon Billing said.

“Climate-friendly food needs to be mainstream and shouldn’t cost more, so it’s good to see progress on choice and affordability.

“Now, we need the same drive on meat options, to make up no more than 50% of the ready-meals ranges at all retailers.”

Food Foundation charity executive director Anna Taylor, said: “This year’s survey from Eating Better shows some encouraging progress being made by the retailers, although there’s certainly a lot more that can be done.

“While it’s good to see the price of plant-based ready meals come down, the high proportion of meals containing meat remains a cause for concern given their negative impacts on both health and the environment.”

British Dietetic Association chairwoman Caroline Bovey said: “It is positive to see major retailers providing consumers with greater choice and more balance.

“As we outline in our One Blue Dot campaign, the UK diet as a whole needs to change if we are to meet our ambitious net-zero carbon targets.

“That means reducing meat, moderating dairy and increasing fruit, vegetables and plant-based sources of protein.

“We hope the trends identified here continue, with more ready meal options that are better for our health and that of the planet.”

with PA Wires

Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette’s free daily email newsletter

The post 20% of ready meals now plant-based or vegetarian – survey appeared first on Retail Gazette.



from Retail Gazette https://ift.tt/3hkna1L
via IFTTT
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Eagle Labs launches impirica CBD brand

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Eagle Labs has launched impirica, a new brand of CBD intended to eliminate consumer fear, and increase confidence, in trying the exciting new cannabidiol category. Michael Law Although most Americans have now heard about CBD, many are very confused and concerned about product quality. This is inhibiting trial in the category and holding back conversion into sales. In fact, a 2017 study by Johns Hopkins University found that two out of three CBD products on the shelf did not contain the amount of CBD reflected on the label. Furthermore, in 2018 and 2019, the FDA sent notices to a substantial number of CBD manufacturers advising them of serious concerns about product quality or egregious medical claims. The impirica brand looks different than most CBD brands — the brand name itself connotes testing and trust, says Eagle Labs chief commercial officer Michael Law. “It doesn’t use the traditional category colors of browns and greens, and you won’t find a hemp...
70 comments
Read more

Sagar Daryani, CEO and Co-founder – Wow! Momo & Saga: From a Kiosk to a Kingdom

Sagar Daryani’s entrepreneurial odyssey from humble beginnings to pioneering success has redefined the landscape of food startups in India. Co-founding Wow! Momo, he has spearheaded the growth of the largest indigenous QSR chain in the country, crafting a remarkable saga of triumph The Genesis: A Visionary Venture Takes Root In 2008, armed with a mere Rs. 30,000 and boundless ambition, Sagar Daryani and Binod Homagai embarked on their entrepreneurial journey while still pursuing their graduation in B.Com Hons from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, even before their college results were out. They knew the value for money and boot-strapped to plough back profits and grow their venture. Sagar spearheaded brand expansion, brand creation, and marketing and retail operations. Grew across the city with a strong consumer focus. The early days were hard but keeping track of the money flow was even harder. Believing in the concept of ‘1 rupee saved is 5 rupees earned’, and the lessons they lear...
1 comment
Read more

Homegrown ice cream chain HOCCO to open 250 stores, eyes Rs 400 crore by FY26

Ankit Chona, Founder and Managing Director of HOCCO, delves into the company’s revenue model, growth strategies, and vision for the future… Bengaluru: HOCCO (House of Chonas Collaborative) , the Ahmedabad-based ice cream and quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain, boasts a rich legacy spanning over 70 years, with roots tracing back to pre-independence India. The Chona family has been deeply entrenched in the food industry since 1944, originally operating in undivided Pakistan. Following the Partition, Satish Chona , an engineer with British Overseas Airways Corporation, relocated from Karachi to India. After journeying through multiple cities, he ultimately settled in Ahmedabad, where he established his first QSR outlet in 1953. Three decades later, he expanded into the casual dining segment, launching a restaurant in Baroda while continuing the family’s ice cream manufacturing business. However, in 2017, the company sold its ice cream division to a South Korean firm, shifting its fo...
Post a Comment
Read more