Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Sugar reduction remains on the agenda
- ‘One You’ campaign recommends 400-calorie breakfasts
- Breakfast habits are being transformed by busy lifestyles
- In-home market should benefit from the ageing population
- Companies and brands
- Convenient breakfast products cater for the time-poor
- Breakfast foods make progress towards sugar reduction target
- Protein continues to attract NPD, yogurts add fibre
- Brands take a holistic approach to health messages
- Dorset Cereals looks to slow down breakfast
- The consumer
- Eating breakfast is near universal
- The home remains at the heart of the breakfast occasion
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- Figure 1: Frequency of eating breakfast at home and out of home, May 2018
- Eating in is most common location for breakfast out of home
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- Figure 2: Where breakfast is typically eaten out of home, May 2018
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- Figure 3: Where breakfast is typically bought when eating out of home, May 2018
- Breakfast cereals are the most popular choice at home
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- Figure 4: Breakfast items typically eaten at home and out of home, May 2018
- Lack of hunger is main reason for not having breakfast
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- Figure 5: Reasons for not eating or often skipping breakfast, May 2018
- A healthy breakfast supports a healthy day
- Brunch creates both competition and opportunities
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- Figure 6: Behaviours relating to breakfast, May 2018
- Breakfast needs to deliver an energy boost
- Social media offers breakfast inspiration to the young
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- Figure 7: Attitudes towards breakfast, May 2018
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Evolving breakfast habits present ongoing opportunities for convenience-led products
- The facts
- The implications
- Scope to harness the popularity of more leisurely breakfast and brunch occasions in retail
- The facts
- The implications
- Breakfast needs to deliver on energy provision
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Sugar reduction remains on the agenda
- ‘One You’ campaign recommends 400-calorie breakfasts
- Breakfast habits are being transformed by busy lifestyles
- In-home market should benefit from the ageing population
Market Drivers
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- Sugar and calories are in the spotlight
- 61% of adults are overweight or obese
- Sugar reduction remains a focus
- Breakfast categories feature prominently in PHE’s sugar reduction targets
- PHE unveils calorie reduction targets
- ‘One You’ campaign recommends 400-calorie breakfasts
- Busy lifestyles are transforming breakfast habits
- Ageing population should benefit in-home market
- Health messages can boost appeal among the older generation
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- Figure 8: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2013-18 and 2018-23
- The squeeze on real incomes eases
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- Figure 9: Annual percentage change in CPI and AWE (regular pay), monthly basis, January 2012-April 2018
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Convenient breakfast products cater for the time-poor
- Breakfast foods make progress towards sugar reduction target
- Protein continues to attract NPD, yogurts add fibre
- Brands take a holistic approach to health messages
- Dorset Cereals looks to slow down breakfast
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Snack bars grow share of launches
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- Figure 10: Share of new product launches in typical breakfast food categories, by sub-category, 2014-18
- Breakfast products cater for the time-poor
- Biscuits and bars remain a hotbed of NPD…
- …while snack balls have rolled into the breakfast category
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- Figure 11: Examples of convenience-focused launches in the breakfast market
- Breakfast drinks attract new brands
- Retail brands take on foodservice with popular out-of-home options
- Breakfast cereals make progress towards sugar reduction target
- L/N/R sugar launches rise in yogurt
- Cereal brands innovate with ancient grains and seeds
- Kellogg ramps up the positive nutrition message with W.K. Kellogg range
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- Figure 12: W.K. Kellogg breakfast cereal launch
- Protein continues to attract NPD
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- Figure 13: Share of new product launches featuring a high/added-protein claim in typical breakfast food categories, 2014-18
- Protein remains a trend in breakfast cereals
- Snack bars continue to blur category lines with protein launches
- Protein activity continues in bread
- Leading yogurt players launch quark products
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- Figure 14: Examples of protein launches in the breakfast market
- Yogurts leverage the appeal of wholegrain and fibre
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- Figure 15: Examples of fibre launches in the youghurt category
- Free-from breakfast offering continues to grow
- Breakfast cereals cater for gluten avoiders
- Positive nutrition and ‘foodism’ inspire gluten-free bread innovation
- Gluten-free offerings also for the on-the-go consumer
- Sausages go flexitarian…
- …while Finnebrogue cuts nitrites from bacon and ham
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- Breakfast categories reduce adspend
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- Figure 16: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on selected breakfast foods^, 2014-18
- Brands take a holistic approach to health messages
- Coco Pops looks to appeal to time-pressed and health-conscious parents
- Shreddies spotlights the importance of starting the day the right way
- Belvita’s aim to brighten the morning commute resonates
- Dorset Cereals looks to slow down breakfast
- Cheerios highlights the importance of family breakfasts
- Brands encourage experimentation
- Co-op advert focuses on the cooked breakfast
- McDonald’s pushes breakfast occasion in several adverts
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Eating breakfast is near universal
- The home remains at the heart of the breakfast occasion
- Eating in is most common location for breakfast out of home
- Breakfast cereals are the most popular choice at home
- Lack of hunger is main reason for not having breakfast
- A healthy breakfast supports a healthy day
- Brunch creates both competition and opportunities
- Breakfast needs to deliver an energy boost
- Social media offers breakfast inspiration to the young
Breakfast Habits
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- Breakfast eating is ingrained
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- Figure 17: Where people eat breakfast, May 2018
- The home remains the mainstay for breakfast eating
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- Figure 18: Frequency of eating breakfast at home and out of home, May 2018
- Out-of-home breakfast peaks among the young and urbanites…
- …as well as among affluent households
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- Figure 19: Eating breakfast out of home once a week or more, by age, May 2018
Where Breakfast is Eaten and Bought Out of Home
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- Eating in is most common location for breakfast out of home
- Two in five 16-34-year-olds eat breakfast on the go
- Work/school/college is the most common location for frequent out-of-home eaters
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- Figure 20: Where breakfast is typically eaten out of home, May 2018
- Coffee/sandwich shops are the most common place to buy breakfast
- The young have the larger repertoire of purchase locations
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- Figure 21: Where breakfast is typically bought when eating out of home, May 2018
Breakfast Foods Eaten at Home and Out of Home
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- Breakfast cereals are the most popular choice at home
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- Figure 22: Mintel’s consumer focus group findings – Usage of breakfast cereals, May 2018
- Toasts remain a staple to many
- Cooked breakfasts at home most popular among 25-34s
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- Figure 23: Breakfast items typically eaten at home and out of home, May 2018
- Hot foods are the most popular choices out of home
- Breakfast replacements most popular among younger consumer
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- Figure 24: Mintel’s consumer focus group findings – usage of cereal bars, May 2018
- 25-34-year-olds have the widest repertoires
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- Figure 25: Repertoire of breakfast items typically eaten at home and out of home, May 2018
Reasons for Not Eating Breakfast
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- One in three often skip breakfast
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- Figure 26: Consumers who often skip breakfast, by age, May 2018
- Lack of hunger is main reason for not having breakfast
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- Figure 27: Reasons for not eating or often skipping breakfast, May 2018
- Time is of the essence for breakfast skipping
- Intermittent fasting diets have had a rising profile
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- Figure 28: Mintel’s consumer focus group findings – skipping breakfast as part of intermittent fasting, May 2018
Breakfast Behaviours
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- A healthy breakfast sets the springboard for a healthy day
- Added sugar is avoided by many
- Women are most calorie-conscious
- Health should not come at the sacrifice of taste
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- Figure 29: Behaviours relating to breakfast, May 2018
- Rising profile of brunch creates competition…
- …and opportunities
- Sainsbury’s launches Christmas brunch range
- ‘Snackification’ of breakfast is widespread among the young
Attitudes towards Breakfast
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- People want an energy boost from their breakfast
- Energy references are well established in cereals
- Nuts are a good fit for energy associations
- On-trend ingredients linked to energy can provide differentiation
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- Figure 30: Attitudes towards breakfast, May 2018
- Social media offers breakfast inspiration to the young
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- Figure 31: Smoothie bowl product examples, UK and US, 2017/18
- Social media presence is important
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Definition
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- Figure 32: Share of new product launches in typical breakfast food categories, by top 10 claims, 2014-18
- Figure 33: Share of breakfast cereal and yogurt launches featuring a low/no/reduced sugar claim, 2014-18
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