In the United Kingdom, a meal deal is a sales promotion which consists of three items, a main (often a sandwich), a drink, and a snack (commonly crisps or confectionery). Meal deals are primarily eaten at lunchtime, and more than a third of Britons buy one at least once per week. [1]
Meal deals are sold by a variety of retailers such as supermarkets, convenience stores, cafés and bakery chains. Many retailers offer a selection of types of mains, such as pasta salads, sushi, and wraps which tend to come in a variety of toppings or fillings, as well as ready-made sandwiches. Supermarkets generally offer the widest variety of meal deals, [1] with Sainsbury's offering over 500 products in their range, [2] and Tesco offering over 10 million possible combinations. [3] They tend to be served cold in supermarkets, but some cafés such as Costa offer hot options. [4] Snacks offered by many retailers also include sausage rolls, [5] pork pies, [6] and fresh fruit. [7]
Meal deals vary in price depending on retailer, with most costing a set price between £3 and £5. [3] As of 2022, the average price of a meal deal (from retailers across the market) is £4.12, up from £3.91 in 2020. [8] The price saving offered by a meal deal compared to purchasing the three items separately, can be over 50%. [3] In 2019, a court ruled that a "free" bottle of wine included in a Marks & Spencer meal deal costing £12 is not free for the purpose of calculating alcohol duties. [9]
Pharmacy Boots pioneered the meal deal. [10] The meal deal is regarded as a staple in British culture, [11] with them typically being associated with convenience and value for money, comparable to regular meal sets offered at cha chaan tengs in Hong Kong. [12] In the United States, the term "meal deal" is used by fast food chains such as Dairy Queen and Hardee's to market their sales promotions combining a main, a drink and French fries. [13] [14]
Sales of shop-bought sandwiches and meal deals declined amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, as more people worked from home resulting in fewer people in city centres. Their sales rebounded in early 2022 after the lifting of lockdown restrictions in England and the easing of travel restrictions. [3] Sales of meal deals have grown amidst the 2021–present United Kingdom cost of living crisis, contributing to bakery chain Greggs reporting a growth in sales of nearly 15% as of October 2022. [15]
On 27 June 2023, the Welsh Government announced plans to introduce legislation that would restrict meal deals in Wales involving meals high in fat, sugar and salt. The legislation, designed to tackle instances of type 2 diabetes and obesity, would be introduced in 2024 and implemented in 2025. Retailers expressed concern in response to the announcement, particularly with high food prices, while charities representing people with eating disorders suggested the plans could have a negative effect on those in recovery. [16]
A convenience store, bodega, convenience shop, corner store or corner shop is a small retail store that stocks a range of everyday items such as tea, coffee, groceries, fruits, vegetables, snacks, confectionery, soft drinks, ice creams, tobacco products, lottery tickets, over-the-counter drugs, toiletries, newspapers and magazines. In some jurisdictions, convenience stores are licensed to sell alcoholic drinks, although many jurisdictions limit such beverages to those with relatively low alcohol content, like beer and wine. The stores may also offer money order and wire transfer services, along with the use of a fax machine or photocopier for a small per-copy cost. Some also sell tickets or recharge smart cards, e.g. OPUS cards in Montreal or include a small deli. They differ from general stores and village shops in that they are not in a rural location and are used as a convenient supplement to larger stores.
Tesco plc is a British multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Welwyn Garden City, England. In 2011, it was the third-largest retailer in the world measured by gross revenues and the ninth-largest in the world measured by revenues. It has shops in Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia. It is the market leader of groceries in the UK.
Safeway Limited is a British groceries brand, and former chain of supermarkets and convenience shops. The British Safeway was founded in 1962 by the American Safeway Inc., before being sold to Argyll Foods in 1987. It was later listed on the London Stock Exchange. It was purchased by Morrisons in March 2004. Most of its 479 shops were rebranded as Morrisons, with others being sold. Safeway-branded shops disappeared from the United Kingdom on 24 November 2005.
Wm Morrison Supermarkets Limited, trading as Morrisons, is the fifth largest supermarket chain in the United Kingdom. As of 2021, the company had 497 supermarkets across England, Wales and Scotland, and one in Gibraltar. The company is headquartered in Bradford, England.
J Sainsbury plc, trading as Sainsbury's, is a British supermarket and the second largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, with a 14.6% share of UK supermarket sales in September 2022.
A grocery store (AE), grocery shop (BE) or simply grocery is a foodservice retail store that primarily retails a general range of food products, which may be fresh or packaged. In everyday U.S. usage, however, "grocery store" is a synonym for supermarket, and is not used to refer to other types of stores that sell groceries. In the UK, shops that sell food are distinguished as grocers or grocery shops.
Waitrose Limited, trading as Waitrose & Partners, is a brand of British supermarkets, founded in 1904 as Waite, Rose & Taylor, later shortened to Waitrose. It was acquired in 1937 by employee-owned retailer John Lewis Partnership, which still sells groceries under the brand. Its head offices are located in Bracknell, Berkshire.
John Davan Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Preston Candover, was a British businessman and politician. He served as the President of Sainsbury's, and sat in the House of Lords as a life peer and member of the Conservative Party.
Somerfield was a chain of small to medium-sized supermarkets operating in the United Kingdom. The company also previously owned the Kwik Save chain of discount food stores. The company was taken over by the Co-operative Group on 2 March 2009 in a £1.57 billion deal, creating the UK's fifth-largest food retailer. The Somerfield name was replaced by the Co-operative brand in a rolling programme of store conversions ending in summer 2011.
Kwik Save is a British convenience store chain. Prior to 2007, it was also a discount supermarket chain that had shops across the United Kingdom. It went into administration in July 2007, but was brought back in April 2012. Its shops were small to medium-sized high street supermarkets, mainly located in areas with below average incomes.
Greggs plc is a British bakery chain. It specialises in savoury products such as bakes, sausage rolls, sandwiches and sweet items including doughnuts and vanilla slices. It is headquartered in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange, and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. Originally a high street chain, it has since entered the convenience and drive-thru markets.
Shoprite Limited was a community food store chain in the Isle of Man. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Isle of Man Enterprises plc, until Tesco announced their purchase of the business on 9 October 2023.
The Grocer is a British digital and magazine service devoted to grocery sales, published by William Reed Ltd. It has been published since 1862.
Higgidy is a fresh food manufacturer based in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, England. The company produces a range of pies, quiches, tortillas and rolls. It was co-founded by Camilla Stephens and James Foottit in 2003. The name of the company originates from an early description of the uneven appearance of their pies by a visiting child.
The Sammies are annual awards given by the British Sandwich Association to sandwich manufacturers and retailers. They are celebrating 30 years with the 2024 Sammies Awards.
Sainsbury's Local is a chain of 820 convenience shops operated by the UK's second largest supermarket chain Sainsbury's.
SavaCentre was a chain of 13 hypermarkets and later a further seven discount supermarkets owned and operated jointly by Sainsbury's and BHS, beginning in 1977. Sainsbury's later took full control of the stores alone in 1989, rebranding them as Sainsbury's SavaCentre, until 2005 when the stores were integrated into the Sainsbury's supermarket brand. The hypermarket stores ranged in size from 66,000 sq ft (6,100 m2) to 117,000 sq ft (10,900 m2) and the discount supermarkets ranged in size from 31,000 sq ft (2,900 m2) to 70,000 sq ft (6,500 m2). At the time of its inception, it was the only dedicated hypermarket chain in the UK.
In the United Kingdom, it is common practice for retailers to have their own value brand in an effort to compete on price. These brands have become more popular in the UK with shoppers since the Great Recession caused food prices to rise.