Some sauces, dressings and condiments categories have seen strong growth thanks to the stockpiling and home seclusion occurring during 2020. Pasta sauce, for example, saw a number of products sell out during the state of emergency due to COVID-19, as consumers stocked up. Herbs and spices also saw high levels of sales because of the long shelf lives typical of products in the category. Products such as salad dressings, which are used with fresh vegetables have also benefited from home…

Players in sauces, dressings and condiments are adapting to the challenges of the pandemic by investing in a direct-to-consumer business strategy. For instance, Heinz has responded to the lockdown and ongoing home seclusion by launching Heinz To Home in July 2020, following the success of its online shop and bundles in the UK. This move comes as the company tries to reach customers directly and tap into Australian consumers’ growing e-commerce reliance following the outbreak of COVID-19. The…

Rice, pasta and noodles are all set to record high growth in 2020, with spikes in demand during lockdown, as consumers stockpiled goods, especially those they considered to be essentials. The increase in demand was also exacerbated by foodservice outlets and operators being closed, pushing consumers to cook more at home, incorporating these staples into every day cooking. However, this rush to stockpile staples resulted in supply chain issues, leading to empty shelves at the supermarket.…

In 2020, ready meals has seen its slowest retail volume and current value growth rates in the review period. In fact, this is only a small category, as these products are not widely consumed due to the proliferation of takeaway and home delivery foodservice options in the country. With more consumers working from home due to measures taken to limit the spread of COVID-19, they have had more time to cook from scratch, rather than needing the convenience of a ready meal to warm up quickly when…

Due to COVID-19, the retail volume and current value growth rates of soup have increased slightly in 2020. This was due to a brief period of stockpiling products with a long shelf life, such as dehydrated and instant soup, at the beginning of the pandemic in March, when consumers were unsure whether there would be a lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus. This never materialised, so purchasing patterns returned to normal fairly quickly. Meanwhile, consumer demand for chilled, shelf…

Consumption of soup was already on the rise prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the lockdown periods are set to accelerate this trend as consumers are forced to remain at home and prepare more family meals. Chilled soup performed particularly well over the review period and is set to continue to do so in 2020. Chilled soup is popular as it contains fresh, natural ingredients and offers an experience close to that of home-made soup without the efforts and time involved in preparation. Its…

Concerned about food shortages resulting from the measures to control COVID-19, many consumers stockpiled food prior to and during the government’s Movement Control Order (MCO). This favoured shelf stable soup which has a long shelf life and which can easily stored in the cupboard. Another benefit of shelf stable food is its convenience and simple preparation. This makes it particularly popular with those who have limited time to cook, or those who lack culinary skills. Prior to COVID-19…

In 2020, sauces, dressings, and condiments has seen higher retail volume and current value growth rates than in any other year of the review period, due to COVID-19. However, the increase has not been significant, as the pandemic has been well-controlled in the country and everyday life remains fairly normal, and there has not been a lockdown, just social distancing. For a short period of time, for around two weeks in March, panic-buying was seen and consumers stockpiled in anticipation of…

Given the long periods of self-isolation and the closure of consumer foodservice operations during the COVID-19 epidemic, Spaniards have had little choice but to prepare more family meals at home in 2020. This is leading to strong growth for the vast majority of sauces, condiments and dressing, with the minor exception of salad dressings, which is set to witness a low decline in demand as more consumers opt for prepared salads, which often include a separate sachet of dressing. The need to…

Cooking ingredients and table sauces are considered as essential items for many consumers in Malaysia as these products are consumed daily. Popular local dishes like curry and rendang make use of dry sauces, herbs and spices and cooking sauces, while many different cooking ingredients are added into meat dishes when consumers cook at home. Table sauces like oyster sauces, soy sauces and chilli sauces are also widely consumed in Malaysia being used both as cooking ingredients and as dipping…

Consumers have been stocking up on rice, pasta and noodles more than any other staple packaged food during the COVID-19 lockdown periods in Spain. These staples provide an easily prepared carbohydrate component for many Spanish dishes and the nature of these foods mean they can be easily stored in cupboards for long periods of time. This has clearly been an important factor to many consumers given the uncertainties around the pandemic and the length of the lockdown periods. As consumer…

In 2020, the retail volume and current value growth rates of ready meals have seen a slight slowdown, although 2019 was a particularly impressive year in terms of growth, and rates of increase have returned to nearer the review period average, which is still a dynamic increase. Despite some consumers spending more time at home due to COVID-19 and social distancing, they have tended to use this time to cook themselves from scratch rather than purchasing extra ready meals. Nevertheless, growth…

Many Spaniards stocked up on shelf stable ready meals in the early stages of the COVID-19 epidemic. Consumers were keen to have products with a longer shelf life at home as uncertainty about the length of the lockdown periods and insecurity led to some stockpiling. Purchases of these products were however quite volatile, with weeks of increased spending witnessed, followed by weeks of declines. Purchases made during the early part of the pandemic, however, also took safety into account, with…

Concerned about food shortages following the introduction of Malaysia’s Movement Control Order in March, some consumers started stockpiling food with a long shelf life for emergencies. This benefited some forms of ready meals, especially shelf stable and frozen ready meals, which are both expected to record double-digit growth in current value terms in 2020. Not only were ready meals seen as a good backup option in case of food supply shortages, but many consumers also appreciated the…

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, both value and volume growth are set to improve in 2020, with a predicted value growth of 7%, compared to 2019 recorded growth of 5%. When the large-scale social distancing policy was put in place, the demand for ready meals increased. Sales were supported by consumers having to rely on home cooking and eating meals at home, especially from April to May when consumers were encouraged to stay indoors. As such, many people were required to work from home, and…

Processed meat faced a number of challenges at the end of the review period. The pork crisis in China and other Asian countries led to a significant increase in raw material costs. Companies reacted to the challenges in different ways; some by reducing package weights in order to maintain affordable prices, while others began to position their products more towards the premium segment, where price is not the most important factor. Embutidos Solà, for example, took the latter approach.…

Processed fruit and vegetables, although remaining popular in Spain, had been witnessing steady declines in consumption towards the end of the review period. The trends towards natural and fresh foods had led some consumers to switch to fresh formats in the belief that these are more nutritious. However, the trend is set to be strongly reversed in 2020 as consumers turn to these products during the pandemic due to their convenience and ability to be stored in food cupboards or freezers.…

Breakfast cereals do not have a strong history as the breakfast of choice in Spain, with most consumers choosing more traditional options such as bread with ham, cheese or spreads, or even churros with coffee or hot chocolate. These products also became less popular towards the end of the review period, as some consumers cut back on their sugar intake, whilst busy lifestyles also meant many working Spaniards opted for on-the-go breakfasts on their way to the office.

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Demand for baked goods was in decline over most of the review period in Spain. Consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of the effect of the high sugar and fat content of cakes and pastries on their health and have also been consuming less bread because of its association with weight gain and allergies. However, there was demand for niche products, including organic and free from products.

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The very strong growth that was being recorded in store card transactions value for much of the review period gave way to a negative performance in 2020. This can be attributed mainly to the shutdown of much of Thailand’s retailing industry for an extended period between March and May and the financial pressures that many Thai households are feeling due to the shutdown of the country’s hospitality and travel and tourism industries. As with other categories of financial cards, it is expected…