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, starting in the 1980s. [10] The meal deal is regarded as a staple in British culture, [11] being typically 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, convenience shop, bodega, 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.
Tesco plc is a British multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Welwyn Garden City, England. The company was founded by Jack Cohen in Hackney, London in 1919. 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.
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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.
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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.
Somerfield (;) was a chain of small to medium-sized supermarkets operating in the United Kingdom. The business started life in the 19th century as grocers J. H. Mills, and after a series of buyouts and mergers, the company became known as Gateway. A major rebranding to the created Somerfield brand started in 1990, and in 1998 the company purchased 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.
William Low & Co plc, popularly referred to as Willie Low's and latterly marketed as Wm Low, was a chain of supermarkets headquartered in Dundee, Scotland. Initially founded in 1868, Low's had branches throughout Scotland, North East England, Cumbria and Yorkshire. As a group, it was smaller than most of its competitors and often served small towns, although it still had several large hypermarkets. Low's use to trade on their Scottishness as a unique selling point in Scotland. At one stage, the company also ran a chain of frozen food stores known as Lowfreeze. Lowfreeze was sold in 1987 to Bejam.
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.
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 its 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.
Criticism has been directed at Tesco from various groups, including national organisations, trade bodies, individuals, consumer groups and watchdogs, particularly since the early 2000s.
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.
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Co-op Food is a brand used for the food retail business of The Co-operative Group in the United Kingdom.
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.