The ready-to-eat food market in Russia: the need for standardization

The volume of the ready-to-eat food market in 2025 reached 1.12 trillion rubles, showing year-on-year growth of 18.5%. INFOLine’s forecast suggests further expansion of the segment to 1.32 trillion rubles in 2026, and by 2028 the market volume (including HoReCa and retail channels) may reach 9 trillion rubles. Such significant growth rates are driven by the combined impact of a number of factors: changes in consumption patterns, the development of the technological base for production and logistics, as well as the transformation of retail formats. Thus, in the first quarter of 2026, sales in the ready-to-eat segment in physical terms increased by 55.6% compared with the same period in 2023—this indicates the structural nature of the changes observed, rather than a short-term surge in demand.

A key driver of growth is the transformation of consumer habits. Survey results show that 48% of Russians buy ready-to-eat food at least once a week, with a significant share of purchases made for consumption at home (73%), as well as for eating at work (33%) and for festive events (32%). The trend is especially pronounced among young people: 45% of respondents aged 18–25 are considering a full switch to ready-made meals. At the same time, as experts note, this is not about a complete replacement of home cooking: ready-to-eat food is being integrated into a mixed dietary model, serving as a tool for optimizing time costs during periods of increased workload.

Structural changes in the composition of households also have a significant impact on market dynamics. According to VCIOM, the share of single-person households from 2002 to 2020 grew from 20% to 42% (about 28 million households), which objectively reduces the economic feasibility of preparing полноценные домашние meals for one person. At the same time, even in семейных households demand for ready-to-eat food is growing: according to X5 research, 79.3% of Russian women with children purchase it regularly. This allows the segment to be viewed as universal, covering various socio-demographic groups.

The development of the technological infrastructure for production and logistics is another significant growth factor. Modern processing and packaging methods make it possible to preserve product quality and freshness without using excessive amounts of preservatives. For example, the use of modified atmosphere packaging extends the shelf life of meals while preserving taste characteristics and meeting sanitary and hygienic requirements. Major retailers are actively внедряют digital quality control tools—in particular, they use artificial intelligence and computer vision to minimize the human factor and improve monitoring accuracy. X5, for example, is implementing a vertical control model “from factory to shelf,” conducting around 200 supplier audits annually across 70 criteria.

At the same time, the market remains structurally heterogeneous: it includes various formats—from major retailers and delivery services to local producers and dark kitchens. Each of these segments is characterized by its own economic model and specific consumption scenarios

Particular attention should be paid to the problem of regulatory and legal oversight of the segment. At present, the ready-to-eat food category has no official definition and is not выделена as a separate object of regulation. Existing SanPiN rules and GOST standards do not take into account the specifics of industrial production of packaged ready-to-eat food, and methodological recommendations from Rospotrebnadzor are advisory in nature. This creates risks for consumers: for example, based on Rospotrebnadzor inspections in 2025, 64% of 900 samples of готовой products did not meet sanitary and epidemiological requirements in terms of microbiological indicators.

Under these conditions, market participants insist on forming a separate regulatory framework that includes a clear definition of the concept of “ready-to-eat food,” the development of a специализированного GOST, as well as the establishment of requirements for sanitation, packaging, production processes, and product traceability. Unified standards would make it possible not only to increase product safety, but also to create transparent rules of the game for all market participants, reduce information asymmetry, and strengthen consumer trust. Some steps have already been taken in this direction: in 2026, Roskachestvo and market leaders signed a memorandum on improving quality standards, предусматривающий the pooling of expert resources and the replication of best practices.

Obviously, the standardization of the ready-to-eat food segment should be balanced: on the one hand, ensuring the necessary level of control over product safety and quality, and on the other—not creating excessive administrative burden for business. A phased approach seems optimal, including pilot implementation of standards in major chains followed by scaling across the entire market. In addition, it is advisable to develop mechanisms of industry self-regulation, drawing on the experience of market leaders who already today demonstrate a high level of maturity in production and control processes.

Thus, the ready-to-eat food market in Russia is at a stage of active transformation, combining high growth rates with the need to address systemic issues—primarily in the area of standardization and quality control. Successful overcoming of these challenges will make it possible not only to ensure product safety and protect consumer interests, but also to create conditions for further sustainable development of the segment in the long term.

Author: Candidate of Economic Sciences, Associate Professor, Department of World Economy and World Finance, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation Natalya Ivanovna Chovgan.