Prisma Lowers Prices on More Than 200 Ready Meals
Starting in early September, Prisma will lower the prices of more than 200 ready meals to ease the time pressure and stress that often come with the busy back-to-school season. The reduced prices apply to salads, patties and cutlets, sandwiches/ciabattas, pancakes, and much more.
“For today’s consumers, ready meals mean practicality and time savings. At the beginning of the school year, it can be challenging to find time to cook at home, which is why from September 1 we are lowering the prices of over 200 ready meals to ensure that a quick and nutritious meal is affordable for everyone,” said Teemu Kilpiä, Country Director of Prisma Estonia.
Prisma’s data shows that ready meals are a regular part of Estonian shopping baskets rather than an occasional purchase. They are chosen for a quick lunch, to simplify dinner at home, or as a snack on the go. It is also clear that promotions and discounts directly influence sales results in this category, indicating that price is very important to customers.
Most Popular: Nuggets, Pancakes, and Sandwiches
According to Prisma’s sales figures, the three best-selling products in the packaged ready meal category are chicken nuggets, ham and cheese pancakes, and chicken Caesar ciabatta. The top-sellers show that consumers value both heat-and-eat products—such as nuggets, patties, cutlets, and meatballs—and quick snacks like pancakes, ciabattas, and sandwiches. Traditional salads such as potato salad and ham-and-pasta salad are also popular.
Packaged ready meal sales have declined this year—on average by nearly 10%. However, the past few months have shown improvement, and health-conscious choices are gaining traction in the category. Still, convenience, familiar flavors, and price remain the main drivers of customer choices.
“We expect that permanently lower prices will give the category fresh momentum and help people make their daily choices in a more wallet-friendly way. For example, prices will drop for customer favorites such as Caesar salad with chicken, patties, ham-and-cheese pancakes, and potato-and-sausage salad,” Kilpiä added.
New Products Enrich the Category
At the end of August, Prisma introduced new and highly popular Mr. Panini sandwiches from Finland. These generously filled paninis need to be baked in the oven for up to six minutes before eating. The secret to their great taste lies in high-quality ingredients: the meat is 100% Finnish, and the flavorful mayonnaise and sauces are prepared entirely in-house at the Mr. Panini factory.
Prisma continues its Everyday Low Price (EDLP) strategy, and from September 1, more than 200 packaged ready meals, patties, and cutlets will become more affordable. This is part of an ongoing series of price reductions launched in April, aimed at keeping Estonian families’ shopping baskets affordable even after the VAT increase. To date, more than 2,000 products have already received permanently lower prices.