Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Consumer budgets and spending
- The National Living Wage comes into force in 2016
- Britain’s ageing population
- 2016 events which could influence menu flavours
- Flavour trends
- Vegetables
- Healthy eating
- Mexican cuisine
- Snacking and handheld ethnic street food
- Dish and ingredient specialists
- The consumer
- Frequency of eating out
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- Figure 1: Frequency of eating out, November 2015
- Interest in cuisine types
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- Figure 2: Interest in cuisine types, November 2015
- Interest in flavour types
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- Figure 3: Interest in types of flavours, November 2015
- Menu deterrents
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- Figure 4: Menu deterrents, November 2015
- Attitudes towards eating out
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- Figure 5: Attitudes towards eating out, November 2015
- Qualities deemed important for meal occasions
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- Figure 6: Correspondence analysis – Qualities deemed important for selected meal occasions, November 2015
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Rising consumer expectations
- The facts
- The implications
- Harnessing the rise of the ‘everyday foodie’
- The facts
- The implications
- Driving Americana trend forward in 2016
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Consumer budgets and spending
- The National Living Wage comes into force in 2016
- 2016 events which could influence menu flavours
- Ageing population to boost British but hit dining out frequency
- Vegetables are a rising star on dinner plates
- Elevating the taste perception of vegetables
- Spiralised vegetables
- Healthy eating trends
- Protein
- ‘Clean’, natural and fresh product labels
- Mexican cuisine
- Snacking and handheld ethnic street food
- Dish and ingredient specialists
Market Drivers
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- Consumer budgets and spending
- The National Living Wage comes into force in 2016
- 2016 events expected to influence flavour trends
- Ageing population could boost demand for British cuisine but hit frequency of eating out
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- Figure 7: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2010-20
Flavour Trends
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- Ramped-up veggies
- Vegetables get fashionable
- Benefits of vegetables on the menu
- Elevating the taste perception of vegetables
- Vegetable dishes borrow from ethnic cuisines
- Spiralised vegetables
- Navigating the fickle demand for healthy eating
- Focus on choice
- Protein
- Focusing on what’s not in the dish
- Dairy alternatives
- ‘Clean’, natural and fresh product labels
- Mexican cuisine
- Enduring interest
- Soft tacos
- Dish and ingredient specialists
- Snacking and handheld ethnic street food
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- A fifth of adults eat out once a week or more
- Mainstream ethnic cuisines still hold strong interest
- Interest in niche cuisines
- American cuisine expected to see a more regional focus
- A third of diners are ‘foodies’
- Encouraging peer-to-peer recommendations
- Spiciness is still a hot trend
- Healthy dining considerations
- Important qualities differ by meal occasion
Frequency of Eating Out
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- A fifth of adults eat out once a week or more
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- Figure 8: Frequency of eating out, November 2015
- Fast casual concepts on the rise
- Chasing additional meal occasions to encourage more frequent visits
Interest in Cuisine Types
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- Mainstream ethnic cuisines still hold strong interest
- Lesser-known ethnic cuisines appeal
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- Figure 9: Interest in cuisine types, November 2015
- Half of diners would like to see more British cuisine on menus
- Mediterranean movers and shakers
- Regional American can offer standout
Interest in Flavour Types
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- Smoky flavours garner the most interest
- Barbecue, ‘fired’ and ‘charred’
- Adding depth of flavour to vegetable dishes through charring
- Smoky flavours through ingredients
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- Figure 10: Interest in types of flavours, November 2015
- Savoury flavours are also in demand, particularly by older diners
- Sweet flavours appeal the most to younger diners
- Spicy is still a hot trend
- Sour flavours are a niche interest
Menu Deterrents
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- Spiciness: an enticement and a deterrent
- Communication and flexibility
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- Figure 11: Menu deterrents, November 2015
- Health is a common consideration
- Calorie labels are rarely a turn-off
- ‘Freshness’ can help operators navigate concerns around health and value for money
Attitudes towards Eating Out
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- A third of diners are ‘foodies’
- Scope for sides to cater to novelty seekers
- Foodies drive growth of street food markets
- Street food goes mainstream
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- Figure 12: Attitudes towards eating out, November 2015
- Encouraging peer-to-peer recommendations
- Exploring social media
- Delivering on the visual
- Tie-ups with vloggers and bloggers
- Guiding choice – Descriptions on menus
Qualities Deemed Most Important for Selected Meal Occasions
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- Breakfast: traditional, filling, convenient, healthy
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- Figure 13: Correspondence analysis – Qualities deemed most important for selected meal occasions, November 2015
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- Figure 14: Qualities deemed most important for selected meal occasions, November 2015
- Lunch: healthy, filling, convenient
- Dinner: exciting, indulgent, adventurous
- Portable snack demand
- Correspondence analysis – Methodology
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Data sources
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research
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