The lunchtime period presents a valuable sales opportunity for retailers, typically spanning from around 10am to mid-afternoon. To maximize this opportunity, it is crucial for retailers to ensure they have a good availability of lunch options. This includes a variety of choices such as salad bowls, pasties, sandwiches, sausage rolls, sushi, and convenient heat-at-home or office products. Variety is key, but it is equally important to understand and cater to your customers’ preferences and stay updated with current trends.
One traditional advantage of the lunchtime slot has been its effectiveness in high-traffic locations like towns, city centers, and travel hubs. However, the rise of remote working during the pandemic has made lunchtime a valuable market for local convenience stores in any location. Home workers often seize the opportunity to get out of the house for lunch, making it an ideal time for retailers to tap into this lucrative market.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted sales of shop-bought sandwiches, with city centers emptying and outings restricted. However, with the return to office-based work and the easing of lockdown measures, the demand for these sandwiches has resurfaced among millions of workers. Nevertheless, in light of the current cost of living crisis, consumers are actively seeking good deals.
Meal deals are viewed favorably by consumers due to their perceived value for money, making them an ideal option for retailers to make the most of the lunchtime opportunity. While most meal deals start at around £3.50, it is worth noting that rising food inflation may lead to an increase in this price point.
Research conducted by food-to-go specialist Country Choice indicates that customers are more inclined to purchase a meal deal if it includes hot food. Therefore, retailers should consider offering deals that combine both hot and cold food items.
Hot counters
Phil Carratt, head of marketing and strategy at Country Choice, emphasizes that hot food plays a pivotal role in any food-to-go offer, aiding in increasing customer spend. At Country Choice, retailers can obtain hot counters free of charge (on loan) as long as they meet a minimum spend requirement. The company provides comprehensive training and due diligence processes to ensure the hassle-free setup of a hot food-to-go offering in-store.
Soft drinks form a crucial component of meal deal offers, with over a quarter (28%) of soft drink shoppers in convenience stores seeking food-to-go options. Retailers can further capitalize on this by strategically placing popular drinks like Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Dr Pepper, and 330ml Capri-Sun pouches alongside complementary categories such as snacks or sandwiches to encourage linked purchases.
Regarding soft drinks selected as part of a meal deal, 80% of customers prefer them to be chilled. Consequently, displaying soft drinks in the chiller alongside food items helps to drive sales.
Popular choice
RTD (ready-to-drink) coffee is increasingly gaining popularity as a lunchtime pick-me-up, whether consumed on-the-go or at home. According to Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), Costa Coffee’s RTD range has outperformed the segment by a significant margin, with a 60.7% increase in value.
Amy Burgess, senior trade communications manager at CCEP, highlights the growing diversification of drink choices during mealtimes. Energy drinks and RTD coffee, in particular, have become more sought after as consumers seek beverages that provide a boost to help them get through the day. Retailers should consider expanding their lunchtime offerings to include a range of soft drink options.
