With frozen food consumption on the rise, store owners, who give extra attention to their frozen aisle by stocking bestsellers as well as new launches, are expected to make incremental sales and gain loyal customers in the coming months.
As our lives changed dramatically in March 2020 (almost overnight), the frozen food market continued to witness massive growth in the following months. Figures from Kantar and the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF), in fact, revealed that frozen products were the star performers of grocery retail that year, outperforming fresh produce and every other food category.
There was a time when frozen foods were considered “not as healthy as fresh alternatives”. However, as Britons stockpiled for lockdown and days after, they apparently fell head over heels in love with this category, all over again.
Almost half of the country’s families are more likely to buy frozen food now compared to pre-pandemic times, says a market report with convenience (50 per cent), avoiding unnecessary supermarket trips (46 per cent) and cutting down on food waste (44 per cent) were cited as the main reasons for the increased sale of frozen foods. Interestingly, breaking the myth that frozen food is not healthy, parents of young children (aged 6-10) are leading the charge here with one in three believing that frozen food can be as healthy as its fresh counterparts. In fact, fish fingers- which is among the UK’s top three frozen foods after ice cream and chips- are found to be especially popular with kids. About 42 percent of respondents claim fish finger was their children’s first experience of tasting fish.
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Fortunately, the momentum gained during the pandemic has not slowed down. Innovations are running high in this segment. So is customers’ appetite for trying new products and tastes.
With multiple reports hinting at constant growth in the frozen foods aisle, it seems wise for retailers to consider expanding their freezer space.
Imtiyaz Mamode of Premier Gosport store told Asian Trader that in his store, frozen pizzas are one of the “hottest selling items” and a major contributor to store’s sales even though he pays least attention to the frozen section since the focal point of his store is food-to-go.
Mos Patel, owner of Family Shopper in Ashton and Premier store in Oldham, also claimed that demand for frozen food has been on constant rise, revealing that pizzas, chips, fish fingers, seafoods and vegan range are some of the best selling items from his freezer.
Demand for frozen fruits, vegetables and herbs is also on the rise.
Despite concerns about obesity, UK ice-cream sales must have touched £1.5bn in 2021, up from £1.4bn from a year before, estimates Mintel, citing hot weather and rising disposable incomes for pushing the ice cream sales.
Innovations
Manufacturers are driving this growth by constant innovations and launches, due to which frozen aisle has been exploding with newer and exciting categories and consumers are now using their home-freezers to hold a much wider range of savoury foods along with ready meals and frozen desserts.
While Ben & Jerry's continues to be the leading ice cream brand, health consciousness and an inclination towards dairy-free products have given birth to a slew of new lollies.
Industry players have been coming up with innovative products like frozen yoghurt, a healthier alternative to ice cream and plant-based dairy-free ice cream range for vegan consumers. In fact, non-dairy alternatives make up 14 percent of new product launches in the UK ice cream market, bolstered by high-profile products such as the vegan Magnum.
Plant-based ice cream is expected to flood the UK market soon as manufacturers reportedly have figured out ways to create milk-like creaminess by using alternative ingredients such as coconut cream, oats, almonds and peas.
Another noteworthy aspect here is the size. With rise in work from home and health-consciousness, shoppers are seen drifting towards smaller, in fact micro-sized, portions.
Stocking tiny cones and packets of individual ice-cream cubes is a good idea. Visually appealing Instagrammable lollies, containing whole berries or nuts, are another huge hit.
Premium ranges of savoury and other kinds of frozen foods are also selling very well, showing that shoppers are valuing quality as well along with convenience.
Frozen fish and seafood, which is otherwise geared to the high-end side of the market, has proved popular, with products like frozen lobster, king prawns and even monkfish stealing the spotlight.
Sea-food range is the highest selling frozen food category in Patel’s stores as well.
“Frozen seafood is a huge hit these days. Half to three-fourth of my freezer space is stocked with frozen prawns, lobsters, fish fingers and other kinds of seafood,” Patel told Asian Trader.
Vegan Frozen Range
As Britons are increasingly on the look out for convenient, healthy and cost-effective vegan options, the rise of plant-based meat-free options is no less than a revolution which is currently shaping the frozen food range.
While releasing most-recent grocery sales figures, Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar, specially mentioned this segment saying that “chilled vegetarian ranges increased sales by 6 per cent while their frozen equivalents were boosted by 4 per cent”.
Retailer Patel seconds the data here by saying that the rise in both- popularity as well as availability- of plant-based frozen food has been astounding.
“Exactly a year ago, there was not this much range in the plant-based frozen section that what we stock now,” Patel told Asian Trader, adding that he now stocks “five to six lines” of plant-based frozen food products in his freezer section.
“Now we stock vegan sausages, veggie burgers, plant-based frozen meat alternatives. I am also planning to promote the same on my social media page to inform the shoppers that the store stocks vegan range as well.”
Patel pointed out that shoppers have this perception that convenience stores don’t stock vegan ranges so they “bypass us and go to the supermarkets for their vegan needs”.
He strongly feels that store owners should tap this niche segment by stocking the vegan range as well as promoting it well to attract more and more buyers.
Patel vouches for Bird’s Eye Green Cuisine range, saying that the brand has a very wholesome vegan range- “something for everyone”. The brand recently launched 10 new Green Cuisine lines, venturing for the first time into meat.
What to, How to
With limited space in freezers, what to stock and what to skip becomes even more critical for retailers.
According to Bestway, shoppers must stock pizza, burgers, sausages, fish fingers apart from frozen vegetables such as peas, carrots and corn as well as ice cream ranges.
A recently-released research from Birds Eye claims that although over half of consumers (58 per cent) have more interest in eating healthily than they did a decade ago, one in five still rate their diet as not healthy.
With reports claiming that Britons now are more health conscious than ever, retailers should tap into health concerns by highlighting benefits and busting the myths around frozen foods.
Retailers should understand that shoppers are eager to make healthier buying decisions. Right promotional offers, marketing and informatory signages can work as just the right motivation they need.
Signage is critical — perhaps more so than in any other part of the store — because consumers can’t always see what’s behind the glass.
The fact that the products are behind a glass door concealed in packaging, visual impact is far harder to achieve in the freezer section when compared to ambient departments.
Being a naturally chillier and less inviting section in a store, it will be better if retailers can use better and brighter lighting to create a more warm and welcoming ambience with greater visual appeal in the frozen aisles.
Upright freezers may be more expensive and require more investment but are not only more space efficient but way easier to use- both for store owners as well as shoppers. Dual-temperature cooler that allows for side-by-side positioning of frozen and refrigerated items is another smart consideration.
Thawing issues
Ironically, the frozen food section is facing huge demand and very low supplies for the past few weeks.
The British Frozen Food Federation had warned on Dec 21 that post-Brexit new border controls on animal and plant products from the EU could see major delays at ports, resulting in “more disruption”.
Some retailers have been complaining of cancelled orders and shrunk ranges at cash and carries.
“We are facing major supply issues. This week, our orders got cancelled thrice by our supplier which also happens to be the UK's leading supplier,” Patel told Asian Trader, adding that lorry driver shortage and rise in Covid cases might have escalated the problem.
“For our frozen food supplies, I am forced to go to cash and carry depots although there too, I am not finding the sufficient range,” he said.
With busy lives and lack of cooking skills from scratch, the lure of frozen food is apparent and is expected to grow further. However, limited freezer space at home is something that limits the quantity of frozen purchase for shoppers as they tend to keep it limited in each shopping trip.
At the same time, impulse purchase works like a charm in the frozen aisle! So, stocking newer, premium as well as plant-based ranges can go a long way in making the shoppers hooked up to the store.
Clearly, the wave of frozen foods is definitely just the tip of iceberg, and in fact, if tapped properly, can prove pivotal in the success of a convenience store- enchanting shoppers with convenience, price and choices.
As industry leaders is cash handling, Volumatic has long supported the use of cash and the importance of maintaining access to cash for both consumers and businesses. The company recognises the importance of the new set of rules created by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) two months ago, to safeguard access to cash for businesses and consumers across the UK.
Since introduction, the new rules are intended to ensure that individuals and businesses who rely on cash can continue to access it and the outcome has already sparked the creation of 15 new banking hubs across the UK, including one in Scotland, with many more to follow.
These hubs provide shared spaces for consumers to access basic services, such as depositing and withdrawing cash, and are being embraced by businesses keen to support the use of cash, who have been struggling in recent years due to the flurry of bank closures across the UK.
With this in mind, Volumatic welcomes the increase in banking hubs and other facilities but recommends businesses go one step further to make things even easier.
“We have known for some time that more and more people are using cash again on a daily basis and so it’s great that access to cash is being protected by the FCA, something that we and others in the industry have been campaigning for, for a long time,” said Volumatic’s Sales & Marketing Director Mike Severs. “Both businesses and consumers need to have easy and local access to cash, and these new rules ensure cash usage continues to rise and will encourage more businesses to realise that cash is still an important and valid payment method.”
With time being of the essence for most businesses, making a journey to the nearest bank, banking hub or Post Office isn’t always possible on a daily basis, plus there is the obvious security risk to both the money and the individual taking it to consider.
Volumatic offers integration with the G4S CASH360 integration
Volumatic’s partnership with G4S, announced back in April 2024, means every business dealing in cash anywhere in the UK can have access to a fully managed solution. This will be especially relevant to those who currently have to walk or travel a distance to a bank or PO to deposit their cash.
Severs adds: “Although having more banking facilities is fantastic news, Volumatic can help businesses even more by bringing the bank to them through an investment in technology like the CCi that can offer integration with the G4S CASH360 solution. Together, we make daily cash processing faster, safer, and more secure and the combination of solutions will save businesses time and money for years to come, making it a truly worthwhile investment.“
Volumatic offers a range of cash handling solutions, with their most advanced device being the CounterCache intelligent (CCi). This all-in-one solution validates, counts and stores cash securely at POS, with UK banks currently processing over 2.5 million CCi pouches each year. When coupled with the upgraded CashView Enterprise cash management software and its suite of intelligent apps, the Volumatic CCi can offer a full end-to-end cash management solution – and now goes one step further.
It does this by providing web service integration with other third-party applications such as the CASH360 cash management system, provided by the foremost UK provider of cash security, G4S Cash Solutions (UK).
“Ultimately, only time will tell how successful the FCA’s new rules will prove. In the short amount of time the new legislation has been in place, the signs are already looking good, and coupled with the new technology we offer, it is a good thing for businesses and consumers alike in the ongoing fight for access to cash and more efficient cash processing,” concludes Severs.
Retail technology company Jisp has launched an NPD service as part of its new Direct to Retailer business unit.
The new NPD service will allow brands to launch or trial new products in a guaranteed number of convenience store locations, with on the ground review of execution by Jisp’s retail growth manager team, and performance data and insights deliverable through its scanning technology and back-office systems.
Brands will also be able to draw on retailer and consumer feedback on the product and its performance thanks to Jisp’s significant resource in user communication, with over 1,000 retailers and more than 100,000 registered shoppers.
Brands can set the parameters of the NPD activity delivered through Jisp’s new service, selecting the duration of the campaign, the number of stores to launch into and even the geographic spread or demographic make-up of the stores included.
Product merchandising and promotional execution in store is monitored by the Jisp RGM team and full reporting is available to help brands better understand the success of their new product and shape future promotional strategy.
This robust data and insight set means that Jisp can not only provide a reliable view of what is selling in stores, but through its scanning technology can also indicate who is buying the product, when, where and why.
Alex Rimmer
“As part of our recent strategic review and restructure, we identified five key pillars of growth, or business units through which to drive new business,” said Alex Rimmer, director of marketing & communication at Jisp.
“Our existing core business already provided us the means to develop new services efficiently and through discussions with major brands, retailers, wholesalers and industry authorities, we identified a need for guaranteed implementation and execution of NPD in the convenience sector.”
Compliance is further assured using Jisp’s Scan & Save scanning technology along with a retailer reward scheme which pays stores for their participation and commitment to the process.
With 1,000 stores already registered with Jisp, the company is in talks with other businesses about opening the new NPD service to their stores given the benefits of securing NPD and reward for execution.
“This is a Win-Win for the sector,” added Alex Rimmer. “Brands can create a bespoke NPD launch campaign with a guarantee that their product will be instore, on shelf and correctly merchandised and promoted, receiving actionable data and insight to shape future strategy. Retailers secure access to NPD, support in merchandising it and reward for taking part, while customers find more local touch points where NPD from their favourite brands are available.”
With this new service promising to be such a valuable asset to the market, retailers and brands are encouraged to contact Jisp to capitalise on the opportunities.
Tesco is slashing the price of more than 222 own-brand and branded products in its Express convenience stores.
Essentials including milk, bread, pasta and coffee are included in the lines which have been reduced in price by an average of more than 10 per cent at Tesco Express stores. The retail giant has made more than 2,800 price cuts across stores in recent months. With 2,048 of convenience stores at the end of the 2023-24 financial year, Tesco aims to benefit hundreds of thousands of customers from the cheaper deals.
The firm said the move comes in the wake of more than 2,800 price cuts made by the chain across its stores in recent months. From Wednesday, customers will pay £1.45 for a four-pint bottle of milk at their local Tesco Express store (down from £1.55) and a Tesco Toastie White Thick White Loaf is also 10p cheaper at 75p.
There are even bigger savings on Tesco Chicken Breast Portions (300g), which have dropped in price by 25p to just £2.25 and a 200g jar of Tesco Gold Instant Coffee now also costs 25p less at just £2.25. Among the branded products with price cuts are Warburtons White Sliced Sandwich Rolls, with the price of a six-pack cut by 10p to just £1.20 and Domestos Original Bleach 750ml, which is now just £1.19 in Express stores after an 11p price cut.
Tesco CEO Ken Murphy said, “Today’s round of price cuts on more than 200 lines in our Express stores underlines our commitment to offering great value to Tesco customers.
"Whether you are picking up coffee and milk for the office or a loaf of bread and a tin of soup on the way home, our Express stores offer both convenience and great value.”
This comes a week after One Stop, the convenience store chain owned by Tesco, has reported a surge in sales to nearly £1.3bn during its latest financial year. The Walsall-based company posted a revenue of £1.29bn for the 12 months to 24 February, 2024, an increase from the previous year's £1.17bn. Over the course of the year, the number of stores directly operated by One Stop increased from 712 to 733, while its franchised locations also grew from 291 to 317.
1. One in five people who have successfully quit smoking in England currently vape, with an estimated 2.2 million individuals using e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool.
2. The increase in vaping among ex-smokers is largely driven by the use of e-cigarettes in quit attempts, with a rise in vaping uptake among people who had previously quit smoking for many years before taking up vaping.
3. While vaping may be a less harmful option compared to smoking, there are concerns about the potential long-term implications of vaping on relapse risk and nicotine addiction. Further research is needed to assess the impact of vaping on smoking cessation outcomes.
ABOUT one in five people who have stopped smoking for more than a year in England currently vape, equivalent to 2.2 million people, according to a new study led by UCL researchers.
The study, published in the journal BMC Medicine and funded by Cancer Research UK, found that this increased prevalence was largely driven by greater use of e-cigarettes in attempts to quit smoking.
However, the researchers also found a rise in vaping uptake among people who had already stopped smoking, with an estimated one in 10 ex-smokers who vape having quit smoking prior to 2011, when e-cigarettes started to become popular. Some of those smokers had quit for many years before taking up vaping.
The study looked at survey data collected between October 2013 and May 2024 from 54,251 adults (18 and over) in England who reported they had stopped smoking or had tried to stop smoking.
“The general increase in vaping among ex-smokers is in line with what we might expect, given the increasing use of e-cigarettes in quit attempts. NHS guidance is that people should not rush to stop vaping after quitting smoking, but to reduce gradually to minimise the risk of relapse,” lead author Dr Sarah Jackson, of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care, said.
“Previous studies have shown that a substantial proportion of people who quit smoking with the support of an e-cigarette continue to vape for many months or years after their successful quit attempt.
“However, it is a concern to see an increase in vaping among people who had previously abstained from nicotine for many years. If people in this group might otherwise have relapsed to smoking, vaping is the much less harmful option, but if relapse would not have occurred, they are exposing themselves to more risk than not smoking or vaping.”
For the study, researchers used data from the Smoking Toolkit Study, an ongoing survey that interviews a different representative sample of adults in England each month.
The team found that one in 50 people in England who had quit smoking more than a year earlier reported vaping in 2013, rising steadily to one in 10 by the end of 2017. This figure remained stable for several years and then increased sharply from 2021, when disposable e-cigarettes became popular, reaching one in five in 2024 (estimated as 2.2 million people).
The researchers found, at the same time, an increase in the use of e-cigarettes in quit attempts. In 2013, e-cigarettes were used in 27 per cent of quit attempts, while in 2024 they were used in 41 per cent of them.
Senior author Professor Lion Shahab, of UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care, said: “The implications of these findings are currently unclear. Vaping long term may increase ex-smokers’ relapse risk due to its behavioural similarity to smoking and through maintaining (or reigniting) nicotine addiction. Alternatively, it might reduce the risk of relapse, allowing people to satisfy nicotine cravings through e-cigarettes instead of seeking out uniquely harmful cigarettes. Further longitudinal studies are needed to assess which of these options is more likely.”
Independent retailers association Bira has held a meeting with members of the Treasury team to discuss concerns following its robust response to the Government’s recent Budget announcement.
The Budget, labelled by Bira as "devastating" for independent retailers, was met with widespread indignation from Bira members.
Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira, said: “Thank you to all the members who have shared their thoughts on the impact of the budget. Based on this feedback, Bira has been robust in its response and judgement of the budget, especially where it is hurting the medium sized independents by as much as an extra cost of £200K per annum.
“We have also held a meeting with members of the Treasury team to discuss our concerns. Whilst there were no indications that any changes would be made, our concerns were listened to.
“We also discussed the proposed reform to business rates which is due to be in place for April 2026. It was clear from the meeting that Bira will be fully involved with this reform.”
Bira, representing over 6,000 independent retailers across the UK, earlier stated that the reduction in business rates relief from 75 per cent to 40 per cent (capped at £110k) from April 2025 will more than double costs for many retailers.
As a post-budget reaction, Goodacre said on Oct 30, "This is without doubt the worst Budget for independent retailers I have seen in my time representing the sector. The government's actions today show complete disregard for the thousands of hard-working shop owners who form the backbone of our high streets.
"Small retailers, who have already endured years of challenging trading conditions, now face a perfect storm of crippling cost increases. Their business rates will more than double as relief drops from 75 per cent to 40 per cent, while they're hit simultaneously with employer National Insurance rising to 15 per cent and a lower threshold of £5,000, down from £9,100. Add to this the minimum wage increase to £12.21, and many of our members are telling us they simply cannot survive this onslaught."