Frozen food is undergoing a significant shift in perception, with new research and innovation reshaping how consumers view the category. In the session 'Frozen Food Reimagined: How do UK consumers see it now?', Louise Collier, Category Director at Birds Eye UK (Nomad Foods), and Rupert Ashby, Chief Executive of the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF), explored how attitudes are evolving and where future growth lies.

A central theme was the impact of consumer education. While nearly a third of shoppers still perceive frozen food as inferior to fresh, this view is far from fixed. Insights from the BFFF’s Frozen Food Revolution campaign showed that once consumers are presented with clear information around nutrition, quality, convenience and cost, more than half of those initially sceptical become open to purchasing frozen products. This highlights a significant opportunity for brands and retailers to better communicate the category’s benefits.

Encouragingly, perception is already improving. Research from a large-scale consumer panel found that nine out of ten people now believe the nutritional quality of frozen food has improved in recent years. This reflects sustained innovation across the sector, from advances in flash-freezing technology to reformulation and product development focused on health and wellbeing.

Sustainability is also strengthening frozen food’s position. With food waste accounting for close to 10% of UK carbon emissions, and 71% of consumers admitting to throwing away expired chilled food in the past week, frozen offers a practical solution through longer shelf life and portion control. Two-thirds of shoppers say they are more likely to buy sustainably sourced products, and around half are willing to pay a premium, underlining the importance of clear sustainability credentials across frozen ranges.

However, barriers to growth remain. The most significant is physical: 85% of consumers say limited freezer space restricts how much frozen food they buy. The speakers pointed to this as a structural issue requiring both product innovation and potential collaboration with government and housing developers to rethink storage in modern homes.

Retail execution is another challenge. Younger consumers in particular expect a more engaging and inspiring frozen aisle, comparable to chilled or fresh. Currently, poor visibility, limited space and uninspiring layouts hold the category back. The session made the case for transforming frozen into a “shop within a shop” destination, with stronger merchandising, clearer segmentation and greater emphasis on meal solutions.

At the same time, changing lifestyles are creating new opportunities. The rise of air fryers is reshaping how consumers cook frozen food, enabling quick, convenient preparation of complete meals. Meanwhile, the growing use of GLP-1 weight loss medications is influencing purchasing habits, with some categories seeing reduced demand and others – particularly protein-led products – gaining traction.

Brands that are responding effectively are already seeing results. The rapid growth of ITSU’s frozen range was highlighted as an example of how to attract younger shoppers, combining restaurant-quality positioning with convenience and accessible pricing.

Overall, the session positioned frozen food as a category with strong momentum, driven by innovation, sustainability and shifting consumer needs. With the right investment in education, retail experience and product development, frozen is well placed to play a larger role in how the UK shops, cooks and eats.