Study Says Retailers Stealing Fast-Food Market Share

Retailers such as convenience stores are finding a new opportunity in prepared foods and a new study says consumers are increasingly visiting retailers specifically to buy prepared foods. The research is part of Technomic's recently released 2017 Retailer Meal Solutions Consumer Trend Report. "RMS (Retailer Meal Solutions) will continue to steal share from the fast-food segment; however, the addition of seating areas, bars, and expanded made-to-order offerings means retailers will also increasingly compete with sit-down restaurants," explains Kelly Weikel, director of consumer insights for Technomic.

"Price, décor, and ambiance will be key battlegrounds moving forward as RMS operators increase efforts to become hangout destinations and increasingly offer higher-quality fare such as scratch-made pizzas and smoothie bars." Key takeaways from the report include: Roughly 80% of all consumers report purchasing prepared meals at least once a month Snacking has overtaken lunch and dinner as the leading weekly RMS occasion 55% of consumers eat prepared foods within an hour of purchase Compiling findings from more than 1,500 consumers as well as Technomic's MenuMonitor and Digital Resource Library, the comprehensive 2017 Retailer Meal Solutions Consumer Trend Report serves as a guide for foodservice operators and suppliers to help them understand consumer usage and attitudes toward RMS and to identify key areas of opportunity.