The French frozen food market, a long-established segment of the country’s food industry, continues to evolve in response to changing consumer preferences and economic factors.
According to recent data from SIAL, the sector presents a complex picture of growth and decline across various product categories.
Frozen products are part of everyday consumption in France: on average, 98.6% of households buy frozen food, according to SIAL. The organization further notes that the frozen food market is worth EUR9bn of revenue in France. In volume, this represents nearly 2 million tons of goods, according to Syndigel.
Unprepared products, perceived more favorably than ultra-processed alternatives, remain a cornerstone of the French frozen food market. SIAL’s data reveals that “Potatoes in all their forms occupy the top spot in the list, making up 20.2% of frozen food sales in France.” Following closely are vegetables, which account for about 19% of the sales in the sector. However, not all categories are experiencing growth.
The ready-made dish market presents a mixed picture. SIAL reports that taken alone, the frozen ready-made dish market was worth EUR5bn in sales in 2019. Within this category, certain products are performing well. Appetizer products have shown particularly strong growth, with SIAL stating that “The strongest growth relates to frozen appetizer products, whose sales rose by 7.6% in the space of a year, according to data from Kantar Worldpanel.” A study by Businesscoot shows that the ready-to-heat meals section dominates the market due to increased demand from consumers for frozen products that require just a touch for preparation.
The fast-food industry has become one of the sources of growth that depends entirely on frozen ready-made meals. Frozen foods find their way to educational facilities, retirement centers, and health facilities, increasing their range of demand. Indeed, as far as distribution is concerned, supermarkets and hypermarkets still dominate the B2C frozen food market, with a share of 58%. However, the specialized store sector is developing positively, notably stimulated by chains such as Picard, Thiriet, Place du Marché, and Ecomiam.
Picard operates more than one thousand stores in France, while Thiriet is the second-largest specialist retailer. Changes in technology also redefined the industry as traditional freezing methods are being outmoded by new freezing methods like hydrotreatment protection techniques. This trend shows the altering consumer preference and probably a bright future of the frozen food market both in France and other parts of the world.
These trends paint a picture of a dynamic frozen food market in France, where consumer preferences are shifting towards healthier, less processed options, while still maintaining a taste for convenience. As the industry continues to adapt to these changing demands, it’s clear that innovation and quality will be key drivers of future growth in this sector.
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