News and Trends

Plastics and sustainable packaging can be argued to be one of the major talking points of 2019 (after Brexit of course). After The Queen delivered her speech in Parliament in October, the Government revealed plans to charge consumers extra for buying single-use plastic items. Companies will also face legally binding new targets on plastic waste reduction. It’s clear that more is being done to tackle the threat, but will the news from the Government really help solve the problem? Earlier this year we delved into what retailers were doing to fight plastic waste , with many pledging to reduce usage by up to 50% by 2025. A bold statement some might say, but one that is certainly achievable. So, over six months on, what has and is being done by both retailers and brands? And what are consumers’ feelings towards reducing plastic wastage? The announcement made by the Government is an interesting one, particularly when you cast your mind back to 2015 when the 5p charge was introduce...

Pour continuer à séduire un consommateur devenu consom’acteur, plus exigeant, mieux informé et en quête de transparence et d’authenticité, c’est toute la filière pain qui s’organise. La Convention Internationale de la Boulangerie Moderne (CIBM) avait réuni le 19 novembre dernier tous les acteurs du bakery business afin d’identifier ses nouveaux enjeux et ses défis. Voici ce qu’il fallait en retenir. La 3e édition de la CIBM (Convention Internationale de la Boulangerie Moderne), organisée par le magazine Honoré Le Mag s’est tenue le 19 novembre aux Pavillons des Étangs à Paris, et a rassemblé plus de 270 acteurs de la filière pain pour répondre aux problématiques d’un secteur en pleine mutation sur tous les circuits de consommation, en France comme à l’international. Si la boulangerie artisanale reste le lieu d’achat privilégié et le plus rassurant des Français, la révolution du pain est en marche, poussée par la défiance des consommateurs vis-à-...

New YouGov research reveals that those who regularly eat out or order takeaway are more indulgent in general, have more hectic lives and are more likely to snack between meals For most Brits, a takeaway is an infrequent treat: a bit of flavour at the end of a particularly punishing day of work; a reward for a month’s worth of ‘eating clean’; or just an easy, delicious way to celebrate payday.  But a new YouGov whitepaper – Restaurants, takeaways, and food delivery apps: YouGov analysis of British dining habits – reveals that for 9% of us, takeaways aren’t an occasional luxury, but a regular fact of life.  These takeaway regulars order restaurant/carryout meals at least once a week, and almost six in ten (59%) have eaten at McDonald’s in the last month.  So who are they, and what sets them apart from the rest of the nation? Restaurant regulars: age, gender, and spending power Over a third (34%) of this group are men under 40: 18 to...

Research from The NPD Group says the popularity of savoury and sweet bakery in the UK is helping to increase eating out visits. For the wider UK out-of-home foodservice market, overall visits were up a meagre +0.3% for year ending September 2019, and they were down -0.3% the previous year. The UK’s eat-out market has the slowest growth of the top five European markets (France, Italy, Spain, Germany and UK). In contrast, figures from the NPD Group’s new Bakery Tracker Service reveal that foodservice visits that specifically include purchases of bakery products have increased three years in a row: up +5.7% YE September 2017, up +3.5% YE September 2018 and up +1.8% YE September 2019. With growth of +3.5% to YE September 2019, bakery visits are helping to drive traffic to the UK’s beleaguered high streets. Bakery servings increased by +2.5% YE September 2019 to a total of 6.2 billion with bakery now representing over 21% of all OOH servings in the UK. Savou...

“Moving forward, we anticipate the convenience trend to impact the brownie category. While gluten-free and low-carb claims are still high on consumers’ minds, they are not causing consumers to skip the brownies. Instead it is inconvenient for busy consumers to buy a large pan of brownies that might not be easy to take and consume on the go. Consumers think it is quicker to grab a donut, muffin or even a pre-sliced cake. There’s a big opportunity for bakers to provide convenient, bite-sized brownies to capture more sales from on-the-go consumers.” - JoAnn Rupp, global market insights manager, Corbion. “We expect the brownie category to continue to move in two paths. On the one hand, brownies are becoming more premium and indulgent as decadent toppings and inclusions are added, elevating the product and making it truly irresistible. On the other, there is a clear shift toward better-for-you indulgences. From creating smaller portions with minis or thins or ...

The grocery retail market continues to adapt to new competition and shifting consumer expectations. Here, James Butcher, Managing Director of Solutions for Retail Brands (S4RB), discusses the key trends to watch out for in 2020. Health kick Continued pressure on healthy eating, especially with significant demand to reduce levels of salt and sugar in products, will lead to an increase in sugar alternatives. Most own brand retailers and brands have already started to address the more straightforward issue of sugar reduction and, as a result, new alternatives are required. Ideally these products will be natural, which is consistent with the pressure for ‘clean label’ and therefore we will see growth in the use of natural starch alternatives such as sweet potato, or sweeteners from dates, coconut or fruits. A resurgence in frozen foods Pressure on food waste and packaging waste, combined with improved manufacturing techniques, will present an oppor...

Bakery product developers have had a busy year, as they look to create on-trend, tasty products that can outsell the competition.  Here British Baker reveals its top picks of retail bakery NPD from 2019: Greggs – Vegan Sausage Roll Vegan products have dominated new launches this year, but none have been as iconic as the Greggs vegan sausage roll. Launched for Veganuary 2019, it features a light and crisp puff pastry with a bespoke Quorn filling and is priced from just £1 – in line with Greggs’ traditional sausage roll. For proof of its success, look no further than Greggs’ profits this year – which the retailer said were boosted by the vegan sausage roll – as well as the flurry of vegan sausage rolls from other suppliers that followed throughout the year. Mr Kipling – Signature Collection Mr Kipling went posh in 2019 as owner Premier Foods looked to boost category value and its own sales with the Signature Collection. The range ...

Boutique bakery and coffee chain announces 14% rise in revenues to £100.8m for the year ending 28 February 2019, up from £86.4m the previous year Gail's is seeking to grow to 200 stores over the next three years  Bread Holdings, the parent company of Gail’s Bakery, said a rise in wholesale revenues, a ‘diverse customer base’ alongside new openings contributed to strong financial results during 2018-19. ‘Retail growth has been delivered by a combination of new store openings and like-for-like growth within the estate. We continue to invest in our business with the opening of ten Gail's bakeries in the year to February 2019, with a similar number of new openings expected this year,’ the company said in a statement. The solid results will be welcome news for investor Luke Johnson, who in 2011 backed a management buyout of Gail’s through his private equity firm, Risk Capital Partners. In November 2019 reports circulated that Johnson had appoin...