In a retail landscape shaped by fast-moving trends and evolving shopper habits, the perimeter departments—deli, bakery, and prepared meals—are where innovation is meeting demand. The latest data from Circana’s April 2025 Dairy-Deli-Bakery Trends Recap confirms it: growth is accelerating in areas where Coppice aluminium packaging excels.
📈 What’s Trending?
Let’s start with the numbers:
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Deli prepared foods reached $2.5 billion in April, with strong growth in side dishes (+6.9%), salads (+9.2%), and appetisers (+4.5%).
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Perimeter bakery grew 6.3% in sales, led by croissants (+12.9%), pies (+14.9%), and pastries (+7.2%)—all ideal applications for foil trays and pie dishes.
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Deli entertaining trays saw a 41.4% increase in unit sales, showing that presentation matters as much as practicality.
These categories all have one thing in common: they rely on efficient, attractive, and functional packaging to win over customers.
🧁 Packaging That Keeps Up With Consumer Demand
At Coppice, we specialise in smoothwall and wrinklewall aluminium trays that are:
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Oven- and air fryer–safe for heat-and-serve convenience
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Recyclable and reusable, supporting sustainability goals
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Available in custom sizes and shapes, perfect for everything from croissants to casseroles
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Film-sealable or lidded for leak prevention and shelf stability
For retailers and producers looking to offer ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook options, our containers eliminate repacking steps and reduce food waste—exactly what the modern perimeter shopper wants.
🍽️ Convenience Meets Culinary Creativity
The rise of air fryer meal kits and ready-to-cook sides makes Coppice packaging even more relevant. Whether it’s a deli mac and cheese or a freshly baked fruit pie, our trays help food brands deliver meals that go straight from fridge to oven to table—or even freezer to air fryer.
Want to enhance visual merchandising? Our trays are also available in custom lacquer colours, embossing, and branded finishes—ideal for seasonal promotions and premium ranges.
♻️ Built for the Future
While consumer demand climbs, so do expectations around sustainability. Coppice aluminium trays:
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Use up to 30% post-process waste aluminium
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Are infinitely recyclable
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Help reduce the need for plastic packaging without sacrificing performance
We also offer foil-backed lids and PET film solutions to extend shelf life, reduce leaks, and enable stackable display.
📊 Final Takeaway
As deli and bakery departments continue to outpace centre store growth, smart packaging is no longer optional—it’s a differentiator. With over 50 years of expertise and the UK’s largest press & tool bank, Coppice is ready to meet the challenge.
Looking to streamline prep, enhance presentation, and meet sustainability goals? Let’s talk.
📩 Contact us today or browse our latest takeaway and air fryer-ready ranges.
Data sourced from IDDBA / Circana ‘Dairy-Deli-Bakery Trends Recap – April 2025.’ Used with member access rights.