Online retailer Ocado Retail has published data showing sales of frozen products are up 18% year-on-year, stating that the freezer aisle is “having a renaissance”.
According to the retailer, consumers are increasingly drawn to the growing quality, variety and value frozen foods offer, relying on them for everything from convenient weeknight dinners to meal prepping for the week ahead.
Data from market research company Savanta for Ocado showed that overall sales of frozen products were up by 18% year-on-year, with almost half of UK adults (47%) saying they’ve increased their frozen purchases in the past year.
The top-performing categories are frozen fruit and frozen vegetables, with sales up 23% and 38% respectively in the past year. Standout products include Ocado frozen strawberries, up 85%, and PACK’D organic broccoli florets, up 97%. Frozen herbs are up 31%, said Ocado, with its Own Range frozen coriander and chopped garlic up 46% and 21% respectively, highlighting how shoppers are increasingly using frozen ingredients to prepare meals from scratch.
Demand is also growing for frozen pastries, as consumers turn to frozen to keep their bakery products fresher for longer and more convenient, with Pret’s Almond Frozen Croissant sales up 80% and M&S Frozen Croissant sales up 56% year-on-year.
Ocado also found that shoppers are replacing store cupboard staples with their frozen equivalents, with searches for frozen sauces up 63%, and sales of cupboard staples like M&S Italian tomato sauce up 29%. Ice Kitchen, a small supplier focused on providing fragrant frozen pastes and sauces, has seen sales rise 16% year-on-year, with its Thai Red Curry and Thai Panange Curry pastes particularly popular this year as sales are up by 56% and 139% respectively.
“Frozen products are helping households reduce food waste, making cooking more manageable without compromising on taste.”
Nicola Waller, buying director for Fresh & Frozen at Ocado Retail, commented: “Frozen food is seeing a real resurgence as shoppers are discovering that it offers reassuringly good value and quality, as well as unmatched convenience. It’s no longer just a backup option or last resort for rainy days – frozen products are helping households reduce food waste, making cooking more manageable without compromising on taste.”
Ocado said its research with Savanta “shows just how far frozen has come”. Almost three quarters of UK adults (73%) believe frozen food quality has improved in recent years, while four in five (80%) say there is more choice than ever before. The retailer reported that once associated with compromise, frozen is increasingly seen as a way to eat well while keeping costs and waste down.
Health concerns are also driving the shift, said Ocado, as consumers grow more conscious of so-called ultra-processed foods. According to the data, 43% agree that buying frozen food helps them cut back on UPFs, opting for staples like vegetables, fruit and bread that can be cooked from frozen without preservatives.
Convenience remains a key driver, as frozen products help shoppers plan, prepare and shop more efficiently rather than simply saving effort. Two-thirds of shoppers (67%) say frozen ingredients help them plan meals more effectively, nearly three-quarters (74%) say it speeds up preparation, and almost half (48%) say it saves time and reduces midweek top-up shops. Frozen food is also central to cutting waste, with 72% agreeing it helps reduce the amount of food they throw away.
