The winter festive season is usually one of indulgence, but with the financial pinch stretching many household budgets in Britain to the brink, many will be turning to frozen food to make their money go further during Christmas celebrations this year.
Pre-empting the rise in demand for frozen Christmas dinner components, side dishes and desserts this year, the industry has been focussing on innovation to provide a range of products to rival those found in supermarket and grocery store chilled food cabinets.
“Now that shoppers are becoming savvier about the savings they can make by shopping frozen, it’s our business and brands’ jobs to keep demonstrating innovation in frozen that will keep these new customers and entice even more to convert from fresh to frozen,” said Andrew Staniland, trading director at the Iceland Foods retail chain.
As it becomes clearer to consumers that frozen food offers significant savings of up to £1,500 per year, while still providing quality and nutrition, the all-round-value of frozen food is being appreciated by many.
“An enormous range of frozen products are available this Christmas, including pigs in blankets, ready peeled carrots and sprouts, and parboiled potatoes, which can take a lot of the stress out of preparation, allowing for more time to be spent with loved ones,” said Rupert Ashby, chief executive of the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF). “But it is not just the trimmings that can be bought frozen, and many consumers will be choosing frozen turkeys this year, as affordable and nutritious frozen food means that the whole Christmas dinner can be cooked from frozen.”
According to Aldi, UK shoppers started to think about Christmas even earlier this year. The Yuletide season can be an expensive time of year with family get togethers, so consumers have been planning their spending for the festive period very carefully.
“Aldi is the only place to shop for an amazing Christmas at an affordable price,” according to Giles Hurley, the discount chain’s chief executive officer in the UK and Ireland. “The price gap between Aldi and the traditional, full-price supermarkets is only getting wider and millions of shoppers are switching to Aldi as a result. Our unbreakable promise to customers is that we will always offer the lowest prices of any supermarket, whether it’s a normal weekly shop or all they need for a fantastic Christmas.”
Although businesses throughout the frozen food supply chain are being hit hard by sharp increases in energy and fuel bills, suppliers and retailers are working hard to make sure that frozen remains an affordable option for households across the country.
The Iceland frozen food specialist is renowned for its bargain offerings and this festive season is no different. The supermarket chain is promoting big value packs across its range of party platters, which includes 240 pieces, an eight pack of fizzy drinks and Pringles for £20. Customers can also take advantage of three packs for £5 deals, which includes Chicken Christmas Trees, Pork Cocktail Sausages, and Christmas Trees and Stars Potato Shapes.
Decadent Desserts
Despite limited budgets, consumers still want to indulge and frozen products can offer decadent treats at modest prices. Aldi, for example, unveiled its range of Christmas desserts (pictured above), which includes a Black Forest Snow Globe (£7.99) comprising vanilla flavored mousse with pieces of Amarena cherry, layers of chocolate sponge, and a sweet Amarena cherry compote with a base of hazelnut and chocolate crumble, enrobed in a chocolate flavored coating and finished with a dusting of icing sugar.
ASDA’s Extra Special Salted Caramel and Blonde Chocolate Choux Wreath (£5.50) is a sweet and edible nod to the traditional Christmas decoration. Prepared with smooth Belgian chocolate, the wreath is made with salted caramel cream and sauce and sprinkled with a sugar crunch.
Morrisons Best Toffee and Pecan Roulade (£4.99) offers consumers a lighter option for dessert. With melt-in-the-mouth toffee flavor meringue, hand-rolled around whipped toffee cream and toffee sauce, sprinkled with pecan nuts, this premium frozen temptation offers great value and visual appeal.
Meanwhile, Iceland has introduced a fun dessert aimed at kids in the form of Poppy and Percy Penguin Ice Creams (£1 for four). Made with vanilla, chocolate and strawberry flavor ice cream, these quirky treats are sure to be a hit with youngsters this Christmas.
Festive Bakes
Pastry-based products are especially popular with consumers during the festive period and nothing says special occasion like a classic Beef Wellington. Morrisons’ frozen The Best Beef Wellington (£10, serves two) is made with tender 14-day matured premium beef fillet, topped with mushroom duxelles and encased in a golden all-butter puff pastry.
Aldi hasn’t forgotten those who are looking for indulgent plant-based options this season, selling a Specially Selected No Beef Wellington (£4.99, 450g), consisting of a soya-based beef inspired core, topped with a creamy mushroom duxelle and wrapped in light and flaky vegan lattice pastry.
“Frozen food is a nutritious and affordable option and sales of frozens have been rising as families grapple with the cost of living crisis,” said BFFF’s Ashby. “Although the government has little control over the international factors driving inflation, the British Frozen Food Federtion has been lobbying ministers to extend the energy support being given to food business beyond the end of March as the food industry surely must be top of the list for continued assistance. In asking the government for appropriate support for the frozen food industry, the BFFF and all our members are doing all we can to make sure that consumers struggling with the rising cost of living do not have to choose between heating and eating.”
