An increase in the number of small households has reduced the use of formal meal times and increased the use of ready meals, pre-packaged ingredients and snack foods according to the latest Key Note market report: Cooking and Eating Habits.
Sales of ready-meal products rose by 20.9% between 2009 and 2012, it found. However it reckons the horsemeat scandal of early 2013 influenced a resurgence in home cooking and hit sales of ready meals especially frozen meals.
However in recent times sales of ready meals have grown and Key Note predicts the category to increase by 15.4% between 2014 and 2018 to be worth £2.34bn.
