Retail and consumer insight
Understanding the consumer
We want the UK food supply chain, from farm to fork, to understand the needs of modern food consumers and that their attitudes toward cooking, buying and eating are important considerations for the whole supply chain.
This means we want you as farmers, growers, retailers and processors to be as well informed about consumer behaviours and retail trends as possible, so we can create a world-class domestic and export food industry.
What we do
We actively monitor and evaluate consumer behaviour and retail trends, largely in the domestic market. This is done through analysis of shopper data, consumer surveys, research projects and market insight reports.
We provide insight to teams within AHDB, but we also deliver updates on consumer and retail markets by giving presentations and through our published reports and quarterly newsletter which you can browse below.
Sign up to our quarterly newsletter
Latest consumer insight articles
6 August 2018
In this article you will find a summary of potato innovations seen across the world
6 August 2018
In this article you will find a summary of red meat innovations seen across the world
1 August 2018
Vegans make up just two per cent of the UK population – but the appetite for meat and dairy alternatives is growing as more and more people look for a wider variety of meals
19 June 2018
Dairy is a category that is rarely eaten on its own. This report looks at how consumer tastes for different host foods are evolving and where the biggest future opportunities for dairy products might lie.
19 June 2018
The organic market in the UK has been building momentum since 2015 and hit the £1 billion spend mark in the last 52 weeks.
18 June 2018
In the following slides you will find an overview of young consumer attitudes toward meat. The information is based on qualitative research conducted for AHDB in 2018.
14 June 2018
Millennials love cheese, how do they like to eat it and what opportunities exist to build on this?
13 June 2018
A summary of key trends seen across food service menus Spring/Summer 2018
11 June 2018
British adults are as worried about plastic waste as Brexit
11 June 2018
An overview of consumer perception of potatoes and key figures for the potato retail market
8 June 2018
Britain is the winner when it comes to meal choices at restaurants and pubs in the UK – but it risks scoring an own goal if the foodservice industry doesn’t shake-up its offerings
18 May 2018
Shoppers in the UK say they want to buy British food, but not at any cost - with research showing even a small rise in price could see a switch to buying imported alternatives
18 May 2018
Shoppers in the UK say they want to buy British food, but not at any cost - with research showing even a small rise in price could see a switch to buying imported alternatives
9 May 2018
The major multiples are moving away from multibuy and Y for £X promotions as they look to simplify their offering and focus more on an everyday low pricing strategy in order to compete with the Hard Discounters.
4 May 2018
Disruptive technologies have transformed the way we do business, the way we travel and how we access information and services
2 May 2018
We take a look at changing attitudes towards eating and what that means for the future
30 April 2018
Today Sainsbury's have confirmed plans to merge with Asda, creating a new supermarket giant in the UK.
30 April 2018
The over-65 age range increased their visits to pubs and restaurants last year
Retail and consumer insight reports
28 September 2017
This report explores key areas in which young consumers’ habits differ from the rest of the population and considers what challenges and opportunities this may pose for the food and agriculture industries.
7 June 2017
This report examines health from the consumer’s perspective and picks out the challenges and opportunities in meeting the needs of the modern consumer. It is the first in a series of ‘focus on’ reports the team is producing.
Find out more
If you can't find what you're looking for, ask us a question at Strategic.Insight@ahdb.org.uk
Sector specific retail data
Beef and lamb retail data
Pork retail data
Dairy retail data
Potatoes retail data