Bigham targets £29.95 ready meals at consumers saving on a night out

British consumers are looking to treat themselves with an alternative to dining out despite a squeeze on household finances, according to the food entrepreneur Charlie Bigham, who is launching luxurious ready meals costing up to £29.95.

- Sarah Butler

The supermarket supplier is selling a new five-option range, which includes a venison bourguignon made with wild-caught venison from the Scottish Highlands, in an attempt to snare consumers saving on the cost of a night out.

It puts the company in competition with cafes and restaurants, which have been forced to raise prices as labour, energy and tax costs soar.

"If you go out to a restaurant or a gastropub or whatever, you might notice at the end of the meal that the bill seems to have crept up quite a lot," says Bigham.

He said Britons had become accustomed to dining out regularly, whether a "date night" or "sitting down with someone else and having a good chat". His idea is to "create the opportunity for people to do that at home with real topnotch food".