CHICAGO — According to a new report from foodservice consultant Technomic, three out of five consumers who report purchasing more supermarket-prepared meals than a year ago are doing so at the expense of fast-food restaurants.
The findings come from Technomic's Retailer Meal Solutions Consumer Trend Report, which provides an in-depth analysis of consumers' purchases of retailer meal solutions (RMS), their motivations and unmet needs, as well as why they chose RMS over restaurant meals.
"Retail food chains . . . have been actively developing retailer meal solutions with strong consumer appeal, allowing retailers to reposition themselves as competitors to restaurants," said Darren Tristano, executive vice president of Technomic. "The economic downturn may alter consumers' food sourcing habits. To stay in the game, retailers and restaurant operators will have to continue to adapt their value equations to meet the market's changing needs."
The survey of more than 1,500 consumers found that family-style and casual-dining restaurants also were impacted to a somewhat lesser extent. Convenience was cited by 86 percent as the reason for buying more retailer meal solutions.
Technomic's Retailer Meal Solutions Consumer Trend Report explores the expansion of the retail foodservice marketplace and the factors driving it to become increasingly competitive with restaurants.
To purchase or learn more about the Retailer Meal Solutions Consumer Trend Report, visit www.foodpubs.com.
