Birds Eye, the United Kingdom’s leading retail frozen food brand, is rolling out a fresh new look across its full range of products., The move is designed provide more uniformity and make it easier for shoppers to find the label in stores, and in doing so encourage greater footfall to freezer aisles.
Birds Eye’s products are consumed nearly three times a week and in more than 7.4 million occasions in Britain, according to Kantar data highlighting the brand’s strong position to help shift perceptions of frozen fare and drive more appeal for the category. The packaging redesign is intended to help make Birds Eye even more recognizable and impactful on-shelf.
Packaging now features the iconic Birds Eye red leaf in a consistent position at the top of packs, acting as a beacon in supermarkets and grocery stores for each category across its range. Products will be described simply, displaying a clear hierarchy of information which is a priority to shoppers – such as cooking times, nutritional information, recyclability guidance and sustainability claims. Retailers may also benefit from the cross-category product suggestions on the back of packs which aim to encourage shoppers to increase their basket size with complementary products.
The new packaging also includes front of pack NaviLens technology to help improve accessibility for blind or partially sighted persons. It is estimated that over two-million people will live with sight loss by 2050, and with 95% of blind and partially sighted people finding food packaging difficult or impossible to read, Birds Eye has partnered with NaviLens (whose free smartphone app relays label details using audio navigation) to help shoppers locate products and find out information on them both in store and in their own freezers. The adoption of the technology follows fellow Nomad Foods brand, Aunt Bessie’s, which in 2022 became the first frozen brand in the world to implement NaviLens codes on packaging.
Commenting on the redesign, Jim Shearer, marketing director at Birds Eye, said: “A great packaging design is more than visuals, it’s about showcasing how frozen food can provide households with a convenient, nutritious and delicious range of food across multiple different meal occasions. We have been producing quality products for generations and are committed to educating shoppers on the inherent benefits that frozen food has to offer. The new packaging design gives us a fantastic opportunity to communicate our quality and the benefits of the category even more clearly to our shoppers and to help them reappraise the frozen food aisle.”
Javier Pita, CEO and founder of NaviLens, stated: “The partnership is a noteworthy step forward in fostering inclusion. By utilizing NaviLens Accessible Codes, Birds Eye enables blind or partly sighted individuals to independently access these products, emphasizing their dedication to inclusivity. We are incredibly proud of this collaboration and Birds Eye’s commitment to making their products more accessible and enjoyable for all.”
The new designs will roll out across over 100 products over the next few months, including Birds Eye Peas, Potatoes (Chips & Waffles) Fish and Chicken (including Chicken Shop). The ongoing expansion will run into 2025.
About Birds Eye
Birds Eye is owned by Woking, England-headquartered Nomad Foods, whose other major frozen brands marketed in Britain include Goodfella’s, Aunt Bessie’s and Green. The company launched operations in the UK over 75 years ago, providing high-quality frozen fish, vegetable and chicken products. Today’s nycg expanded portfolio includes a meat-free range, pizzas and roast accompaniments.
