This document analyzes market trends in the sliced cooked meat category in the UK. It finds that ham accounts for the largest volume share but continental meats like Parma ham and salami are growing. Quality is an important factor for consumers when purchasing sliced cooked meats. The document recommends promoting quality attributes and providing easy browsing and selection in store to drive further category growth.

1. Sliced cooked meats
Steven Evans, Consumer Insight Manager, AHDB
March 2018
AHDB Consumer Insight Snapshot
A look at market trends and consumer shopping patterns within the sliced cooked
meat market

2. 56.1 57.2
4.7 4.1
9.8 9.7
9.7 10.2
5.2 4.6
6.2 6.3
3.2 3.21.3 1.2
1.7 1.7
2.1
1.9
Product % of Category
All Others
Pork
Tongue
Comminutes
Corned Beef
Beef
Continental Meat
Chicken
Turkey
Ham
2.3
-12.6
-0.1
5.1
-10.4
0.6
-0.1
-6.9
0.1
-11.4
% Change
Sliced Cooked Meats – Volume Share
Volume (000 kg) | TOTAL MARKET | Total Packtype | 52 w/e
Source: AHDB/Kantar WorldPanel
Ham continues to hold the largest share, with the
strongest growth coming from continental meats

3. -4000
-3000
-2000
-1000
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
Volume movement over 5 yearsVolume (tonnes)
Over the longer term there has been limited volume growth, but
there have been some gains for continental meat: Parma ham and
salami make up the majority of current continental meal volumes
Source: AHDB/Kantar WorldPanel

4. GB - Usage - Sliced Cooked Meats
Share of occasions | All Consumers | Total In Home/Carried Out | 03-Dec-17 | 52 w/e
Source: AHDB/Kantar WorldPanel Usage
Cooked meats typically feature in home-based and carried out
lunches and continental meats over-index at the evening meal
occasion
30.3
2.9
14.8
50.6
3.4
23.3
6.9
4.4
25.4
15.2
5.2
0.8
5.3
1.4
8.7
1.5
Evening Snacks (IH+CO)
Afternoon Snacks (IH+CO)
Morning Snacks (IH+CO)
Evening Meal (IH+CO)
Teatime (IH+CO)
Carried Out Lunch
In Home Lunch
Breakfast (IH+CO)

5. Top categories – quality was important in purchase decision – mean score from 1 to 10
Average category Baby Fresh fish Chilled prepared
meats
8.78.99.18.4
3rd out
of 34
categories
Quality is important to shoppers – using a range of
mechanics to communicate this could help convert shoppers
IGD’s category benchmark report on chilled
prepared meats highlighted the main reasons
why shoppers agreed ‘it is worth paying a little
extra to get higher quality chilled prepared
meats’
- Better taste
- Ethical
- Ingredients/less water
- New Products
- Brand/Premium private label
- Texture
Base: 3,400 UK supermarket shoppers. Q. “How important were the following
attributes in your selection process, where 1 is very low and 10 is very high?”
Source: AHDB/IGD Category benchmark chilled prepared meats July 2017

6. Source: Walmart, USA, Mar’17 Source: Sobeys, Canada, Apr’17
In-store examples – includes food-to-go in the ‘deli’ area to showcase chilled prepared meats.
Walmart (USA) are targeting busy shoppers – freshly sliced meats are located in a chiller in front of the deli, offering a ‘grab and go’
counter offering.
Sobeys, Canada, provides ideas for different uses of its traditional cooked ham: “enjoy in pasta and in omelettes, as well as on pizza”.
Source: AHDB/IGD Category benchmark report 2017
Source: East of England Co-operative, Aug’17
In-store environments that encourage shoppers to browse
and make easy choices can provide strong opportunities

7. Key considerations/future opportunities
Source: AHDB
Important to remember that sliced cooked meats are typically eaten for enjoyment and practicality –
with the average preparation time at just under 12 minutes. Shoppers also have many different
needs in this category – offering a strong range of pack sizes and meat types can help broaden the
appeal.
- Little overall change in volumes - ham accounts for the largest segment, but there has been
growth in continental meats
- Quality is important in chilled prepared meat and promoting the things that shoppers
associate with quality could unlock further growth opportunities
- Ability to make easy/quick decisions at fixture is important, but consumers highlight that
quality is also important. It’s Important the fixture encourages browsing and communicates
key messages to shoppers.

8. www.ahdb.org.uk/consumerinsight
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9. Version: 16:9/2017-11-30a
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