The festive season is shaping up to be more home centric. Cost-of-living pressures are prompting many households to swap restaurant outings for nights in but that doesn’t mean compromising on experience. Retailers and brands have an opportunity to help shoppers create premium, on-trade-inspired celebrations at home.
Here are some key takeaways.
Why Home Celebrations Are Rising
Due to the Cost-of-Living crisis, more consumers are reducing their spend out-of-home for a more affordable night in.
- 43% of consumers are reducing spend on meals out
- 45% are cutting back on takeaways
- 30% are spending less on drinking at pubs or bars
However, shoppers are looking for ways to make home occasions feel special without overspending.
Premium Own Label Is Winning
Premium own-label ranges are growing +11%, more than twice the rate of standard own label (+4%), while economy tiers are in decline (-5%). These ranges deliver quality and a premium feel – perfect for festive dining experiences that replicate the restaurant vibe at home at an affordable price.
Bringing the Pub Experience Home
One trend we are seeing appear is consumers recreating out-of-home indulgences with nostalgic snacks and specialty items such as:
- Beef Jerky: +21.7%
- Pork Scratchings: +19.6%
- Pickled Onions: +9.0%
- Speciality Cheese: +1.4%
Our Perspective
“With weakness in out-of-home spend, shoppers are likely to ‘dine in home’ more, which means food retailers are likely to see strong growth in premium private label ranges in the next few weeks.” – Mike Watkins, Head of Retailer & Business Insight
What It Means for Retailers & Brands
- Elevate the dine-in experience
Curate premium own-label meal kits, festive sides, and indulgent desserts to replicate restaurant quality at home. - Tap into nostalgia
Highlight classic pub snacks, suggest drink pairings and offer cross category deals for a complete ‘night-in’ occasion. - Promote value without compromise
Showcase how premium private label delivers quality at an accessible price point, especially in comparison to out-of-home venues. - Explore emerging flavours
Experiment with exciting world flavours to capture consumers’ attention as they experiment more with cuisines and try new recipes – go further with a festive twist to engage the Christmas shopper.
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