According to the June 22 London Evening Standard, sales of frozen foods are strong as cash-pinched Britons seek to cut high grocery bills.

“But the industry has also succeeded in cashing in on the economic climate by shaking off its poor quality image and going up-market to appeal to families looking for nutritional benefits as well as convenience,” according to the newspaper.  

It quotes a trade magazine, The Grocer, as saying that frozen food has “come in from the cold” in the chilly economy. The Grocer said that frozen food sales in the United Kingdom rose 4.2% to reach 4.7 billion pounds over the past year.

“Industry experts are confident that the increase in popularity will continue to be boosted as more families switch to frozen foods to keep grocery bills under control in the tough times ahead,” according to the story.

The Grocer said that after five years of little or not growth, frozen foods are growing rapidly. It attributed gains not only to the economy, but to advertising to improve the segment’s image, and to new upscale products.

Among the top gainers: fish, up 11%, and frozen vegetables, up 5.5%. 

The Grocer said frozens’ comeback has been helped by endorsements from TV celebrity chefs including Delia Smith, Marco Pierre White and Heston Blumenthal. In addition, U.K. shoppers are eager to cut back on waste, since a government report showed that 10 billion pounds worth of perishable foods are needlessly pitched by Britons each year.

Research by market analysts TNS Worldpanel noted that “Frozen foods are back. Value and volume both grew in 2007 bucking several years of decline.”

The report added that consumers in the U.K. are realizing the health benefits of frozen food. According to Anne Murphy, general manager of Birds Eye UK, “The message is getting through that frozen is often fresher than chilled. Frozen food which uses nature's preservative to lock in nutrients and taste has always been perfectly placed to deliver within the health trend. Consumers are more aware of the importance of fish and vegetables in our diet and there is an increasing recognition that frozen delivers both in a way that is fresh, great-tasting and convenient.”