UK | 2024 was the year customers upgraded their weekly shops, with many opting for more premium cuts of meat, artisan loaves, and free-range cream.
Waitrose customers have been hosting at home more and enjoying the pleasure of sourcing, preparing, and sharing great food with friends and family. This was due to the ongoing hangover from the rising cost of living and COVID lockdowns.
The Food & Drink report also reflected growing concerns about UPFs, with 61 percent of respondents saying that they cook from scratch to reduce the ultra-processed food they eat.
While 38 percent of customers have been making bread from scratch, many simply did not have the time with hectic schedules, so they leaned into kitchen shortcuts where possible.
The booming demand for Ottolenghi’s range of spices, marinades, and sauces, which launched exclusively at Waitrose this year, was a testament to this trend, as was the ongoing popularity of pre-prepared meats, flavoured butter, premium jarred beans, and instant noodles.
Customers continued to love their kitchens, with 55 percent saying they would opt for a home-cooked meal over a takeaway.
“This year has seen an interesting shift in customers splashing out on their weekly essentials - they’re hosting at home more and looking to treat themselves and their loved ones. It’s no secret that our customers love good food. Through careful sourcing, innovative recipes and inspiring ingredients, we’re helping people take an active delight in cooking and eating good food,” said James Bailey, Waitrose Executive Director.
“Earlier this year, we unveiled plans to support even more of our farmers in the transition to regenerative agriculture. Farming for Nature is an exciting initiative that commits us to sourcing all our UK meat, milk, eggs, fruit and vegetables from farms that use regenerative practices by 2035. This commitment and support for British farmers is one thing that keeps customers coming back to Waitrose, and we’re looking forward to continuing to work with our suppliers to deliver the very best, high-welfare meat and sustainably sourced food to our shelves.”
Sustainability continued to be a priority for customers, with 59 percent of those surveyed saying they would be more likely to buy a product with sustainable credentials.
Sixty-one percent of Waitrose customers said they love food with a story—they want to know the narrative behind it and the cooking processes involved, be that 40-day dry-aged beef or the No.1 Sourdough Baguette made with a 25-year-old levain rye dough.
Some have also attempted to recreate some processes, such as making kimchi and butter and pickling at home.
Regarding nutrition, many customers jumped on board the 30 plants a week trend, adding nutrition to their plates rather than taking ingredients away. Waitrose has seen sales of fermented foods on the rise, with sales of kefir and kimchi up by 7 percent, as well as whole grains, nuts, dried fruit, and seeds.
Hero food products for the year included the crookie, peanut butter, instant noodles, hot honey, pistachio-flavoured items, hash browns, Tim Tams, cucumbers, rice pudding, chocolate muffins, pickle juice, chocolate butter and artisanal pantry staples.
According to Yotam Ottolenghi, 2025's headline flavours are tonka beans, pilpelchuma (2025’s answer to harissa), toum, yuzu, juniper, sour cherry, and crispy chilli oil.
For this year's Food & Drink report, Waitrose surveyed over 3,200 people who had shopped at their stores in the past three months.
