Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Impact of COVID-19 on lunch at home
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- Figure 1: Short, medium and long term impact of COVID-19 on lunch at home,18 June 2020
- The market
- COVID-19 increases focus on health
- PHE launches more salt reduction targets for 2024
- Consumer confidence already returning to pre-pandemic levels
- Ageing population will provide long-term support to lunch at home
- Predicted move out of cities for some could also support lunch at home
- Companies and brands
- Brands respond to huge increase in lunch at home occasions
- Bread brands raise people’s sandwich game
- Brands less commonly linked with lunch tap into increasingly significant occasion
- Hellmann’s targets lunch as part of food waste campaign
- The consumer
- 65% have eaten lunch at home 5 times a week or more …
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- Figure 2: How often people have eaten lunch at home in the last month, by age, April 2021
- … and 47% expect to continue to do this in six months’ time
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- Figure 3: How often people expect to eat lunch at home in six months’ time, by age, April 2021
- Everyday lunch is cooked from scratch by nearly two thirds
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- Figure 4: Types of dish eaten for lunch at home on everyday and leisure occasions, April 2021
- Three quarters use fresh produce for everyday lunches
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- Figure 5: Types of food used to prepare/cook lunch at home on an everyday occasion in the last month, April 2021
- 6-15 minutes is most popular preparation/cooking time, but nearly a third are prepared to spend up to 30 minutes for everyday lunch
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- Figure 6: How much time people have spent preparing/cooking lunch at home on an everyday occasion in the last month, April 2021
- Ease and speed are top attributes for an everyday lunch at home, nearly half want satiety till dinner
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- Figure 7: Qualities most important for lunch at home on an everyday occasion, April 2021
- 89% buy foods for lunch in the main grocery shop, 48% would like ideas on dinner leftovers for lunch
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- Figure 8: Behaviours related to lunch at home, April 2021
- 69% agree that condiments make lunch more exciting, over half think snack products make lunch more satisfying
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- Figure 9: Attitudes towards lunch at home, April 2021
Issues and Insights
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- At-home lunch becomes increasingly significant occasion due to COVID-19
- Ease and speed are most important attributes for an everyday lunch at home
- Ideas for lunches from dinner leftovers can tap into long-term sustainability focus
- Snack products could tap into increased cooking from scratch by repositioning themselves as ingredients
The Market – Key Takeaways
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- COVID-19 spurs on new government obesity strategy
- PHE launches more salt reduction targets for 2024
- Consumer confidence already returning to pre-pandemic levels
- Ageing population will provide long-term support to lunch at home
- Predicted move out of cities for some could also support lunch at home
Market Drivers
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- COVID-19 increases focus on health …
- … and spurs on new government health strategy
- Some proposals already confirmed
- PHE launches more salt reduction targets for 2024
- Consumer confidence already returning to pre-pandemic levels
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- Figure 10: Key drivers affecting Mintel’s market forecast, 2015-25 (prepared on 5 March 2021)
- Ageing population will provide long-term support to lunch at home
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- Figure 11: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2015-25
- Predicted move out of cities for some could also provide a boost to lunch at home
- Pret a Manger has already announced intention to follow its customers
Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
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- Brands respond to huge increase in lunch at home occasions
- Bread brands raise people’s sandwich game
- Brands less commonly linked with lunch tap into increasingly significant occasion
- Hellmann’s targets lunch as part of food waste campaign
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- Brands respond to huge increase in lunch at home occasions
- Bread brands help to raise people’s sandwich game …
- … whilst others look to expanding people’s perceptions of their products
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- Figure 12: Hovis showing how to use bread as a pizza base, 2020
- Figure 13: Heinz showing how mayonnaise can be used as an alternative to salad dressing, 2020
- Brands less commonly linked with lunch tap into increasingly significant occasion
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- Figure 14: Birds Eye tapping into lunch at home occasion through a recipe idea, 2021
- Branston Pickle reinforces collaboration with Cathedral City …
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- Figure 15: Branston pickle reinforces collaboration with Cathedral City, 2021
- … whilst Hellmann’s targets lunch as part of food waste campaign
- Bol pivots attention away from lunch on the go towards at-home occasion
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- Figure 16: Bol targets working from home occasion during first nationwide lockdown, 2020
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
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- Health becomes higher priority for a third
- Cooking from scratch increases due to COVID-19
- 65% have eaten lunch at home 5 times a week or more …
- … and 47% expect to continue to do this in six months’ time
- Ease and speed are most important attributes for an everyday lunch at home
- 89% buy foods for lunch within their main grocery shop
- Over half agree that eating snack products with lunch makes the meal more satisfying
Impact of COVID-19 on Consumer Behaviour
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- Health becomes higher priority for a third
- Nationwide lockdowns see huge increase in working from home …
- … with more flexible working predicted to be a long-term trend
- Pandemic sees significant changes in grocery shopping habits
- Cooking from scratch increases due to COVID-19
- Where people live will determine access to options for lunch at home
- Sustainability focus predicted to be long-term consequence of the pandemic
Frequency of Lunch at Home
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- 65% have eaten lunch at home 5 times a week or more …
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- Figure 17: How often people have eaten lunch at home in the last month, by age, April 2021
- … and 47% expect to continue to do this in six months’ time
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- Figure 18: How often people expect to eat lunch at home in six months’ time, by age, April 2021
Types of Dish Eaten for Lunch at Home on Different Occasions
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- Everyday lunch is cooked from scratch by nearly two thirds
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- Figure 19: Types of dish eaten for lunch at home on everyday and leisure occasions, April 2021
Types of Food Used to Prepare/Cook Lunch at Home on an Everyday Occasion
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- Three quarters use fresh produce for everyday lunches
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- Figure 20: Types of food used to prepare/cook lunch at home on an everyday occasion in the last month, April 2021
- Fresh produce heavily relied upon by those seeking 5-a-day …
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- Figure 21: Recent examples of other categories calling out suitability for lunch and providing recipe ideas, 2021
- … whilst frozen and tinned vegetables should call out balanced nutrition elements more
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- Figure 22: Recent examples of frozen and tinned products making health claims prominent on front-of-pack, 2019-20
- Non-chilled foods can leverage convenience to attract scratch-cooks
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- Figure 23: Recent examples of non-chilled foods emphasising speed and ease, 2020-1
- Continuing to push nutrient content could help shelf-stable products boost health halo
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- Figure 24: Birds Eye garden peas calling out their freshness and how this retains nutrients, 2021
Time Spent Preparing/Cooking Lunch at Home on an Everyday Occasion
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- Calling out prep time is crucial to harness lunch at home occasion
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- Figure 25: how much time people have spent preparing/cooking lunch at home on an everyday occasion in the last month, April 2021
- 6-15 minutes is most popular preparation/cooking time …
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- Figure 26: Sainsbury’s Slow Cooked… British Pork BBQ Ribs with a Sweet Honey Glaze prominently calling out prep time, 2021
- Figure 27: Recent examples of products calling out 15 minute preparation time and no washing up, 2019-20
- … but nearly a third are prepared to spend up to 30 minutes
Qualities Most Important for Lunch at Home on an Everyday Occasion
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- Ease and speed are most important attributes for an everyday lunch at home
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- Figure 28: Qualities Most Important for Lunch at Home on an Everyday Occasion, April 2021
- Considerable opportunities in healthier lunch options
- Continuing to call out health benefits on-pack will appeal to healthy scratch-cooks
- Meal components could look to breakfast products for inspiration …
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- Figure 29: Recent examples of breakfast products giving pairing ideas for balanced meal, 2020-1
- Calling out contribution to daily nutrient intakes could also tap into interest in balanced nutrition
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- Figure 30: Kellogg’s Rice Krispies calling out contribution to daily vitamin D intake, 2020
- Calorie-controlled ready meals could look to pairing this with balanced nutrition
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- Figure 31: M&S Food Balanced For You seafood linguine calling out protein, balanced carbs and calorie content, 2019
- Nearly half want a lunch that keeps them full until dinner time
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- Figure 32: Belvita making link with foods high in slowly digestive starch and giving energy for the whole morning, 2020
- Additional potential for lighter snack-style products to target lunch
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- Figure 33: Hans Lunch Plates Spanish Style Chorizo calling out suitability as a gourmet light lunch, 2021
Behaviours Related to Lunch at Home
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- 89% buy foods for lunch within their main grocery shop
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- Figure 34: Behaviours related to lunch at home, April 2021
- 48% would like more ideas on using dinner leftovers for different dishes for lunch
- Social media can be utilised to help people access ideas …
- … whilst on-pack leftover suggestions may help boost value for money image
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- Figure 35: Sainsbury’s Boxing Day Curry Sauce calling out leftover recipe ideas, 2020
- Supermarkets can use end of aisle displays to give ideas
- A third have tried to recreate their favourite out-of-home lunch at home
- Retail range must focus on products synonymous with the brand’s foodservice experience
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- Figure 36: Recent examples of foodservice brands launching lunch-appropriate meals, 2021
Attitudes towards Lunch at Home
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- 69% agree that condiments make lunch more exciting
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- Figure 37: Attitudes towards lunch at home, April 2021
- Collaborations with classic lunch ingredients could remind people how condiments can elevate the occasion
- Over half agree that eating snack products with lunch makes the meal more satisfying
- Snack products could tap into increased cooking from scratch by repositioning themselves as ingredients
- Walkers Crisps creates an online recipe book …
- … whilst meat snacks and pulse-based snacks could push their high-protein proposition
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- Figure 38: Recent US examples of pulse-based snacks suggesting use within meals, 2020-21
- Sweet snacks could elevate the traditional lunchbox positioning
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- Figure 39: Mr Kipling Signature Collection After Dinner Chocolate & Orange Fancies, 2020
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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