The frequency of eating out for dinner by UK consumers has remained the same this year as in 2010, with many diners becoming less loyal as they seek out value, according to new research.
According to “How Britain Eats 2011”, a report by Allegra Strategies, which questioned over 2,000 consumers, 22% choose eating out using “meal for two” deals over takeaways due to the value on offer.
The report also found that grazing and eating on-the-go are growing, as convenience and value for money “are the major motivators behind consumer behaviour in shopping for food, cooking and eating out’.
From the research, Allegra identified four consumer types relating to how Britain eats: “Pragmatic Foodies”, which make up the majority of the population (50%) and love food but are time pressured and tend to rely on well know recipes, though they will experiment occasionally.
“Aspirational Gourmets”, which account for 26% of the population and are adventurous, passionate and creative about food. They aspire to restaurant level quality wherever possible. This group eats out less than the others, but when they do, they look for a superior experience and will pay more.
“Functional Providers” (20%) like food but prefer to cook within safe parameters of dishes they know well. Their eating out habits are similar to the final group “Disinterested Refuellers” (4%) who have no interest in food and view it simply as an energy source. However, this group will regularly eat out in establishments offering good value and uncomplicated food.
The report also found that consumers are most influenced by the breadth of Italian focused eating out chains, a sector that’s grown by 4% in outlets during 2011, led by the likes of Jamie’s Italian, Carluccios and Pizza Express.
“British grub” also fares well when dining out and is the second most popular dishes on the menu, which the report said was thanks to a greater food focus by pub groups and carvery chains “driving a growing appreciation of British food”. When it comes to cooking at home, traditional British food is still the nation’s favourite.
68% of those questioned said they try food they would not eat at home while eating out. In addition 42% are keen to experiment at home in an attempt to replicate their eating out experience. Although 46% said they were influenced by recipes books, only 8% of consumers said they actually purchased restaurant cookbooks.
The research found that 76% of British adults claim to either be passionate about or love food and cooking. However, it also showed that time pressures often lead to consumers skipping around three meals a week on average in attempts to save time and money. Time pressures continue to impact the British approach to cooking from scratch at home with a fall to 45% in everyday cooking in 2011, compared to 52% in 2010.
Anya Gascoine-Marco, director of insight at Allegra Strategies, said: “It‘s apparent that consumer anxiety over rising costs and governmental austerity measures are having an effect on how Britain eats. Additionally, the growth in use of technology from a communication, awareness and education perspective means that consumers are more aware of changes and pressures in food shopping, cooking and eating. As a foodie nation, consumers are building their experiences in food and seeking to push the boundaries more, and this is leading to the key trends that we see.
“In response to the worrying economic factors, consumers are seeking counter austerity treats. Consumers still want to indulge themselves on the odd occasion, and this involves eating out and buying treats, dubbed the ‘cupcake factor’. We are also observing the growth in Street Food concepts, as consumers want to broaden their experiences, but doing so whilst expecting good value for money. Street Food delivers all that.”
