Fresh food sees solid growth in 2025 despite headwinds
Fresh food sales in the UK continued to growth in total volume terms in 2025 despite rising prices and ongoing economic pressures, alongside disruptions to the supply chain. While value remained a key concern, sales were also influenced by the growing focus on healthy eating and sustainability. Grocery retailers continued to play a key role in the sale and promotion of fresh foods, with expanded offerings of locally-grown produce and private label lines winning over consumers.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Fresh Food industry in United Kingdom with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
Key trends are clearly and succinctly summarised alongside the most current research data available. Understand and assess competitive threats and plan corporate strategy with our qualitative analysis, insight and confident growth projections.
Data and analysis in this report provides further detailed coverage dedicated to the following key categories, where applicable:
- Eggs
- Fish and Seafood
- Fruits
- Meat
- Nuts
- Pulses
- Starchy Roots
- Sugar and Sweeteners
- Vegetables
If you're in the Fresh Food industry in United Kingdom, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty.
The Fresh Food in United Kingdom report includes:
- Analysis of key supply-side and demand trends
- Detailed segmentation of international and local products
- Historic volume and value sizes
- Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth
- Robust and transparent research methodology, conducted in-country
This report answers:
- What is the market size of Fresh Food in United Kingdom?
- What is the impact of commodity price fluctuations on local production and consumption?
- What are the key campaigns or legislation driving Fresh Food sales?
- How are consumer attitudes towards fresh food evolving?
- How significant is health and wellness in shaping consumer demand?
- Where is future growth expected to be most dynamic?
Fresh Food in the United Kingdom
Fresh food sees solid growth in 2025 despite headwinds
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Fresh food sales influenced by economic pressures and health concerns in 2025
Financial pressures push consumers to favour cheaper alternatives
Despite supply pressures demand for many fresh foods remains strong
Positive outlook for the UK’s fresh food market
Healthy eating campaigns should benefit fresh food sales
Sustainability a growing concern
Supermarkets, hypermarkets and discounters dominate sales of fresh food
Sustainability adds value to the market
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
Eggs in the United Kingdom
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Eggs remains a popular staple
Sales of eggs rise with free-range and organic options driving value gains
Sustainability, innovation and affordability shaping the evolving eggs market
Affordability, animal welfare and premiumisation set to influence the market for eggs
Innovation and storytelling driving the next wave of premium value in eggs
Fish and Seafood in the United Kingdom
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Rising prices push fish and seafood out of the reach of some households
Fish and seafood sales struggle amid cost-of-living pressures
Sustainability and provenance sustain the appeal of premium seafood
High costs and supply limits shape the outlook for fish and seafood
Balancing affordability and sustainability will become key to success
Fruits in the United Kingdom
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Sales of fruits post growth in 2025 thanks to the category’s healthy image
Health concerns, convenience, and retail support drive growth in fruits in 2025
Strawberry surplus drives UK fruit retail, while premium and imports face pressure
Value growth set to be driven by health concerns, premiumisation, and local sourcing
Creative branding and innovation can propel UK fresh fruit beyond commodity status
Meat in the United Kingdom
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Price rises put pressure on demand for beef and lamb
Poultry gains share as beef and lamb sales suffer due to price increases
Processed meat retains its appeal amid price sensitivity and convenience
Gradual recovery expected with poultry remaining key to growth
Online butcher services and imports set to reshape the availability of meat in the UK
Nuts in the United Kingdom
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Nuts grow in popularity as a healthy and versatile food choice
Focus on healthy eating habits fuels demand for nuts
Competition from processed nut mixes persists but demand for versatile, clean label options remains robust
HFSS exemption set to boost sales through increased visibility
Unprocessed nuts strengthen appeal as demand for natural snacks grows
Pulses in the United Kingdom
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Pulses proving popular as a healthy, affordable and sustainable ingredient
Beans is the key growth driver as consumers make healthier choices
Ready-to-eat shelf stable variants challenge sales of fresh pulses
Public campaigns aim to boost the consumption of beans
New UK varieties of beans support climate resilience and soil health
Starchy Roots in the United Kingdom
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Potatoes props up the market with a healthy, versatile and affordable offering
Potatoes driving growth as prices stabilise and home cooking trend boosts sales
Competition from frozen processed potatoes persists amid demand for convenience
Weather volatility and irrigation costs put pressure on potato producers
New potato varieties and regenerative farming aim to cut costs
Sugar and Sweeteners in the United Kingdom
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Health concerns continue to eat away at sales of sugar
Natural sweeteners gain ground as consumers reduce their sugar intake
Cost pressures push households towards private label and bulk sugar options
Health policies and reformulation targets set to drive continued decline in sugar sales
Premiumisation emerges as provenance and wellness claims reshape sweeteners
Vegetables in the United Kingdom
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Focus on home cooking and healthy eating boosts sales of vegetables in 2025
Home cooking gains traction boosting sales of fresh vegetables
Erratic weather conditions impact the production of cucumbers and carrots
Removal of border checks cuts costs while sustainability remains a pressing concern
Campaigns and loyalty schemes aim to boost the intake of vegetables
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Fresh Food
- Eggs
-
- Crustaceans
- Fish
- Molluscs and Cephalopods
-
- Apples
- Banana
- Cherries
- Cranberries/Blueberries
- Grapefruit/Pomelo
- Grapes
- Kiwi Fruit
- Lemon and Limes
- Oranges, Tangerines and Mandarins
- Peaches/Nectarines
- Pears/Quinces
- Pineapple
- Plums/Sloes
- Strawberries
- Other Fruits
-
- Beef and Veal
- Lamb, Mutton and Goat
- Pork
- Poultry
- Other Meat
-
- Almonds
- Coconuts
- Peanuts (Groundnuts)
- Pistachio
- Walnuts
- Other Nuts
-
- Beans
- Peas
- Other Pulses
-
- Cassava
- Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes
- Other Roots
- Sugar and Sweeteners
-
- Cauliflowers and broccoli
- Maize
- Onion
- Tomatoes
- Other Vegetables
Fresh Food
Fresh Food refers only to fresh uncooked and unprocessed foods (packaged and unpackaged). Packaged sugar products and natural sweeteners (e.g. brown sugar, table sugar, molasses) are also included. For Fresh Food, we research total sales across distribution channels including retail, foodservice and institutions. For a selected 18 markets, we have a breakdown of total fresh food sales according to the following formats: • Retail • Foodservice sales • Institutional sales Retail Retail sales is defined as sales through all legal establishments primarily engaged in the sale of fresh, packaged and prepared foods for home preparation and consumption. Retail sales excludes sales to hotels, restaurants, cafés, duty free sales and institutional sales (canteens, prisons/jails, hospitals, army, etc). Our retail definition excludes the purchase of food products from foodservice outlets for consumption off-premises, eg grilled chicken/meat/fish bought from counters of cafés/bars. This falls under foodservice sales. For foodservice, we capture all sales to foodservice outlets, regardless of whether the products are eventually consumed on-premise or off-premise. We estimate sales through the following channels: Modern Grocery Retailers • Supermarkets • Hypermarkets • Discounters • Convenience stores • Forecourt retailers Traditional Grocery Retailers • Independent small grocers • Food/Drink/Tobacco Specialists • Other grocery retailers (morning/speciality/open/wet/farmers’ markets, stalls and kiosks, etc) Non-grocery retailers • Health and beauty specialist retailers • Other non-grocery retailers Non-store retailers • Homeshopping • Internet retailing • Vending • Direct selling Foodservice Foodservice sales are defined as sales TO consumer foodservice outlets that serve the general public in a non-captive environment. In other words, this means that the foodservice volumes track sales of all fresh food going into restaurant kitchens, regardless of what the restaurant actually does with that food. Foodservice outlets include cafés/bars, FSR (full-service restaurants), fast food, 100% home delivery/takeaway, self-service cafeterias and street stalls/kiosks. Sales to semi-captive foodservice outlets are also included. This describes outlets located in leisure, travel and retail environments. • Retail refers to foodservice units located in retail outlets such as department stores, shopping malls, shopping centres, super/hypermarkets etc. • Leisure refers to foodservice units located in leisure establishments such as museums, health clubs, cinemas, theatres, theme parks and sports stadiums. • Travel refers to foodservice units based in airports, rail stations, coach stations, motorway service stations offering gas facilities etc. Institutional sales Institutional sales is defined as sales to captive foodservice units that serve captive populations such as in hospitals, schools, prisons, military camps, hotels, hostels, nursing homes, homes for elderly people, religious houses, etc.
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This report originates from Passport, our Fresh Food research and analysis database.
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