UK is 'king of convenience meals'
Updated on 31 August 2007
More ready meals are sold in the UK than anywhere else in Europe, and the country's appetite for convenience food is still rising, a study has found.
The UK already spends £2 billion on ready meals, more than Germany, France, Italy and Spain.
And market analysts Mintel predict that the UK market will grow by another 25 per cent by 2011 to £2.6 billion.
Mintel's Eating Habits study suggests the creation of healthier ready meal ranges - often called "good for you" - have tapped into a healthy eating trend which has boosted sales further.
Michelle Strutton, a consumer analyst for the company, said: "Mintel's research shows that the UK is still king of convenience. The ready meals market in the UK is by far and away the most advanced in Europe."
Europe's five biggest countries have all seen a rise of five per cent in ready meal sales over the past year hitting £5.7 million.
Germany is expected to be the fastest growing ready meals market, with sales predicted to rise 44 per cent by 2011.
Whilst France will see the slowest growth, with sales increasing just nine per cent over the same period, Mintel forecast.
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