Ready meals are gaining ground.

Ready meals are gaining ground.
Ready meals are growing in the retail sector, challenging traditional foodservice with their convenience and variety.
SURVEYS AND RESEARCH – In recent years, the ready-meal market has seen significant growth, blurring the lines between traditional catering and the retail sector. Supermarkets and other retail outlets are expanding their range of ready-to-eat foods, becoming genuine competitors to restaurants. This phenomenon, already well-established in other European countries, is also spreading in Italy, creating new business opportunities and changing consumer habits.

The growth of the ready-to-eat sector in Italy
According to data from Circana, reported by *Il Sole 24 Ore*, the ready-meal segment sold through retail channels in Italy reached a value of 2.5 billion euros, representing a 15.3 per cent increase compared with 2017. Despite this, the market share of the retail ready-to-eat sector stands at 3.5 per cent, below the European average of 5.5 per cent. Countries such as France (6.8 per cent), the United Kingdom (6.6 per cent) and Germany (5.8 per cent) show greater uptake of this trend. However, the Italian market has significant potential for growth, given that demand for ready meals is constantly expanding.

Consumers increasingly focused on convenience
The market’s evolution is driven by consumers’ growing desire for quick, convenient and affordable food options. The idea that ready meals are

This post is also available in: