About this report About the market…  Dynamic growth in the use of convenience foods in the UK and the consequent decline of cooking from scratch has been the result of a wide range of factors, both economic and social.   Ready meals account for some 36% of total retail sales of the convenience foods selected for this report. Chilled ready meals, value sales of which have virtually doubled over the review period, account for almost a quarter of the market. Chilled convenience products generally have enjoyed spectacular growth, usually at the expense of more traditional frozen and ambient lines.  New product development runs at very high levels in those sectors which are performing well, such as chilled lines, but is much less intense in declining sectors, such as ambient foods.  Future growth is assured. The economic parameters are highly favourable and the social and cultural trends which are re-shaping UK eating habits are well-entrenched and non-reversible. For better or worse, the convenience habit is here to stay.  About Mintel’s research…  Providing together the latest consumer research and market analysis, Mintel's new report offers you all the insight and inspiration you need for designing clever, creative and profitable marketing strategies. Use Mintel's research to:  Identify the common trends in the eating out food market  Gauge market size and development  Gain a new insight into the market’s segmentation, supply structure, distribution and the latest NPD  Discover consumers’ attitudes towards cooking, enabling you to tailor your offering accordingly  Pin point market potential before your competitors  Find out how to best target key audiences with the most effective marketing communications  Measure market forecasts and build realistic business models.  Intriguing findings include… 72% of main shoppers use ready meals, with almost half of these users serving them once a week or more.  Some 35% of Great Britian’s adults are ‘Fast-food cooks’ – who do not have time to cook and like to eat take-away meals.