Chicken dinners have continued their upward trajectory with a 7.7% rise in occasions. That means they now account for 40% of all roast dinners. 

That's down to "lower price points and because it is a leaner protein" says Kantar. "With all the noise around flexitarian diets, people are more likely to drop red meat from the plate," it adds.

By contrast, all other forms of roast dinner are suffering from a decline. That's led to a 3% drop in roast dinner occasions at a total level. 

When it comes to accompaniments, the picture is more positive. "We have witnessed an increase in the traditional accompaniments," says Kantar. 

Yorkshire puddings were a big winner here, gaining an extra 15.6 million occasions. Meanwhile roast potatoes shot up to be present in a whopping 17.9 million occasions. Broccoli and green beans also saw a 1% rise in consumption.

That coincides with an increase in the average number of items per roast dinner occasion from 5.6 to 5.8 items.

Source: Kantar 52 w/e 24 March 2019