Restaurant Brands Gain Ground in UK Supermarkets

The lines between dining out and eating in are blurring as Britain’s best restaurants increasingly bring their names to supermarket shelves. Driven by consumer demand for premium convenience and the opportunity for restaurants to reach new audiences, this trend is reshaping the UK’s ready meal sector with a wave of restaurant-branded supermarket products.

Premium Ready Meals on the Rise

According to Statista data, the value of chilled ready meal sales in UK supermarkets has shown consistent growth, reaching over £2.4 billion in 2022. This robust market is now being reshaped by the entry of high-profile restaurant brands, which are partnering with retailers to launch premium ready meals that promise a restaurant-quality experience at home.

• M&S’s Restaurant Collection features collaborations with renowned names, offering dishes inspired by top chefs and eateries. The full range and details are available via the M&S Restaurant Collection page.
• Waitrose has expanded its "Restaurant Brands" section, partnering with a variety of popular chains to stock everything from curries to pasta, as detailed in its restaurant-branded product listings.
• Ocado offers exclusive access to restaurant meal kits, giving consumers the tools to recreate signature dishes in their own kitchens, as shown on the Ocado Restaurant Meals at Home page.

Changing Consumer Tastes and Market Trends

A 2023 analysis by Kantar highlights a clear trend toward premiumisation in UK grocery shopping. Shoppers are increasingly willing to pay more for quality meals, especially when the products carry the cachet of a respected restaurant. This shift has paved the way for brands to expand their presence in supermarkets, with restaurant lines now regularly featured among the top-selling chilled ready meal products.

Industry experts suggest that the pandemic accelerated this trend, as consumers sought to replicate the restaurant experience at home. With hybrid work and busier lifestyles, the demand for high-quality, convenient meal options remains strong.

How Restaurants and Retailers Benefit

For restaurants, supermarket partnerships offer a new revenue stream and a way to reach customers outside their traditional locations. Meanwhile, supermarkets gain an edge in a competitive market by offering exclusive or premium-branded products that appeal to discerning shoppers.

• Restaurants extend their brand to new audiences, increasing visibility and customer loyalty.
• Supermarkets differentiate their offerings and respond to the growing demand for gourmet convenience.
• Consumers enjoy an elevated at-home dining experience, often at a lower cost than dining out.

What’s on the Menu?

The range of restaurant-branded supermarket products is expanding rapidly. M&S’s Restaurant Collection includes dishes inspired by Michelin-starred chefs, while Waitrose’s line-up features collaborations with popular high-street and independent restaurants. Ocado’s offerings include meal kits from well-known London restaurants, allowing home cooks to try their hand at complex recipes with all the ingredients provided.

These products are typically positioned at a premium price point, but the success of recent launches suggests that customers are happy to pay for quality and brand recognition. The top products data from The Grocer shows strong growth for restaurant-branded lines in the chilled meals category, at the expense of some lower-priced, mass-market options.

Looking Ahead

As the boundaries between eating out and eating in continue to blur, industry analysts expect the trend toward restaurant-branded supermarket products to accelerate. The success of premium ready meals is likely to inspire more restaurants and retailers to collaborate, further expanding the choices available to UK shoppers.

For consumers, this means greater access to restaurant-quality food at home – a luxury once reserved for special occasions, now available in the supermarket aisle.