Roast meal occasions
Roast meal occasions  
     
  Meal occasions (m) % change
 Pre-Family   123.6 9.5
 Young Family 0-4 Years   206.5 -0.3
 Middle Family 5-9 Years   133.3 -3.8
 Family 10+ Years   127.7 12.2
 Older Dependents   248.2 5.4
 Empty Nesters   215.7 14.2
 Retired   221.3 -3.0
     
Total 1276.3 4.2
Monday to Thursday 499.0 18.3
Friday   75.8 9.9
Saturday   90.3 7.9
Sunday   611.2 -6.0
     
Source: Kantar Worldpanel, 52 w/e 22 April 2018  

The number of roast dinners people eat has surged, along with more premium 'together time' meals, of which roast dinners play a prominent role, according to Kantar analyst William Sohler.

Following 18 months of consecutive decline, consumers enjoyed 1.28 billion roast occasions in the year to 25 April 2018; a rise of 4.2% year on year. 

Roasts have also started to attract a younger demographic, with pre-family occasions growing 9.5% this year. The size of these occasions is also changing, with those where five or more people are present increasing by 37.5 million (23.4%).

The introduction of more convenient products to the category has been credited for the growth in younger people enjoying roasts. 

It has also driven a rise in midweek roast dinners, with 18.3% more eaten between Monday and Thursday compared to last year. Sunday now accounts for less than half of all roast consumption occasions, at 47.9% compared with 53.1% last year.

Empty nesters have contributed the most growth in the category (up 14.2%), followed by older families (up 12.2%).