According to the Muslim Council of Britain, Muslims make up 4.8% of the population in England and Wales and is worth a staggering £20.5 billion to retailers each year.
However, while operators continue to capitalise on Christmas, Easter, Pancake Day, and Mother’s Day, Salih Sheikh, head of marketing at BB foodservice, said: “The (hospitality) industry is behind when it comes to commercialising Ramadan. It’s the biggest untapped opportunity in foodservice.
“During (the festival), people gather after sunset to feast together and it’s now very common to go out rather than cook at home” – providing an ideal opportunity for food and drink businesses to tap into the event.
He added: “Judging by the spikes in Halal products during Ramadan – it’s not only Middle-Eastern, Asian, and North African restaurants that see extra demand.
“The fact is that modern British Muslims – and what they like to eat – has changed over the years, and Ramadan has quickly become a mainstream opportunity for operators.”