Waitrose has relaunched and redesigned its food to go range as it looks to build on improved sales in the category.
As part of the overhaul, Waitrose has extended the number of products available as part of its £5 lunchtime meal deal which first launched in August, as exclusively revealed by The Grocer.
The new lineup will feature more products from Waitrose’s Good Health own-label range, including a Spicy Bean & Sweet Potato Wrap, No Chicken & Pesto Sandwich and Chicken Shawarma Wrap, as well as salads such as Chicken, Harissa & Grains, Tuna & Sweetcorn Pasta and Chicken & Piri Piri Pasta.
A new premium and party platter has also been added, to cater for those “looking for more party food selections”, Waitrose said.
The range has also been given a new look, with redesigned packaging that seeks to play up Waitrose’s higher animal welfare credentials, and commitment to higher standards. The “bold” red, green and yellow packaging will promote the supermarket’s use of higher-welfare chicken, pork, lamb and beef in particular.
The new range began rolling into stores on 31 January.
“Waitrose is number one for animal welfare and the place to shop for quality, delicious British food,” said Jake Pickering, Waitrose senior agriculture manager. “One hundred per cent of our own-label fresh meat, milk and shell eggs are sourced from British and Irish farmers and used as ingredients in our sandwiches, salads and wraps.
“Welfare standards often slip in other shops when it comes to ready-made lunch products, but customers don’t have to compromise at Waitrose. We are making that even clearer to our customers with our new bolder and brighter packaging.”
Animal welfare standards give Waitrose competitive edge
The sentiment of the new packaging chimes with a rejig to Waitrose’s broader marketing message in response to the cost of living crisis. In light of falling sales, Waitrose has increasingly sought to play up its quality and animal welfare commitments, which executives see as its key competitive edge over other supermarkets.
The supermarket has also been publicly lobbying for the wider introduction of clearer food labelling that more explicitly makes ‘higher’ animal welfare standards clearer for customers.
“We are huge champions of better information for shoppers to help guide their choices in line with their values,” Pickering said.
“We have called on the government to strengthen animal welfare labelling so people can be in the know about how their food’s been produced, regardless of where they choose to shop. We have seen the success story in terms of demand for higher-welfare products with welfare labelling on eggs.”
Growing Waitrose’s food to go and convenience offering have been two areas specifically targeted by senior partners as part of its plan to win back market share, after the supermarket saw increased sales of its grab and go products.
“It’s our belief we are underexposed in the convenience channel, and that is something that has held us back in the last year or so,” executive director James Bailey told The Grocer in March 2023.
Waitrose is set to publish its Christmas and annual sales in March.
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