U.K. Ready Meals Market to Hit $18.51 Billion by 2034 as 12.4% CAGR Accelerates

1 articles · Updated · marketdataforecast.com · Jun 15

$18.51 billion is the projected size of the U.K. ready meals market by 2034, up from $6.46 billion in 2025 and $7.26 billion in 2026.
12.4% annual growth is being driven by time-poor consumers—especially dual-income and single-person households—seeking meals that can be prepared in under 10 minutes.
Plant-based demand is adding momentum, with the U.K.'s vegan population estimated at 2.5 million in 2024 and retailers expanding meat-free ready meal ranges.
35.6% of the 2025 market came from gravies and curries, while non-store retail is forecast to grow fastest at a 12.8% CAGR as delivery and subscriptions expand.
58% of U.K. adults say they try to avoid ultra-processed foods, leaving health concerns, cold-chain costs and stricter packaging rules as key constraints on the sector.