From starters to desserts: Ready-made Christmas meals on the rise in Dutch supermarkets
Driven by consumers’ desire for convenience, the majority of supermarkets in the Netherlands now offer pre-made Christmas dishes, from starters to desserts, according to an NOS survey.
Joyce Bierman, head of brand creation at Albert Heijn, said people have been making things easier for themselves at Christmas over the past five years.
“More and more people choose at least one day at Christmas for convenience. You also see this in the most searched recipes on our website. People want to feel like they made it themselves, but you just have to pop it in the oven,” Bierman told NOS.
“Convenience is somewhat in our DNA, even at Christmas. We respond to this with our products; there is a shift in what the customer wants,” said Lidl spokesperson Pim Grether.
Supermarkets also respond to customer behavior by releasing frequently searched recipes the following year as convenient versions.
“You want to respond to the customer’s needs, and with ready-made dishes, you add just a little extra touch to make it more festive,” Grether added.
The range of options is also expanding. Supermarkets like Plus are focusing more on vegetarian and, increasingly, vegan dishes.
“Customers appreciate being relieved of stress at Christmas,” Bierman said. “Moreover, convenience is becoming increasingly important in our busy lives. We see that Christmas is therefore becoming somewhat more informal, but people still want to put something restaurant-quality on the table. That’s why they more often choose luxurious products that are ready in no time.”
The popularity of ready-made dishes is also reflected in figures from market researcher YouGov. Each year, the company studies which products are popular. Its data shows that the top 15 products for next year include both fresh and ready-made options.
“Christmas is the most important period for supermarket revenue because people are willing to spend more on a Christmas meal,” said Norman Buysse, a YouGov market researcher. “We see that a household spends an average of about 113 euros per week on groceries. In the week before Christmas, this rises sharply, to around 140 euros.”
Convenience, Buysse said, extends beyond Christmas dishes. By extending opening hours, supermarkets also cater to the need for ease and accessibility. “The number of visitors keeps increasing during the Christmas days. Customers now expect the store to be open,” Bierman said.
