The five-year forecast highlights key catering trends in the retail and high-volume sectors. Findings include continued improvement in automated service delivery, paving the way for 24/7 facilities such as ‘micromarkets’, which can feature chillers, built-in microwaves, and fast cook machines.
Elsewhere, it says an ageing population will drive the volume of meals in hospitals and care homes, while a declining number of primary-aged children will affect the volume of school meals. In terms of services, the prison population is in growth, therefore the number of meals served in these facilities in increasing.
The report forecasts:
- Catering’s 2025 value share of the whole AFH market is 9.4%
- Catering’s 2025 food & beverage value is £9.6bn, an increase of 5.8% year-on-year; IGD foresight predicts this will increase by 3.3% 2025-2030 CAGR (compound annual growth rate)
Nicola Knight, head of Away from Home at IGD, said: “The new service has been developed in recognition of the need for a whole-market viewpoint of the AFH sector and marks a significant milestone for IGD as its first new insight product for 15 years.
“AFH accounts for over a third of the total UK food & drink market, up 2.5% in the year to April, worth £102.3bn. The IGD forecast projects a CAGR of 4.8% from 2025 to 2030 to reach £123.3bn, driven primarily by inflation and steady population growth.
“Market value is not expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels within the forecast period, highlighting the continued economic pressures facing both consumers and operators. The new AFH offer includes sector-specific expertise across restaurants, quick service restaurants, pubs & bars, leisure, accommodation and catering, as well as 100 different sub-sectors.”