Table of Contents
Executive Summary
-
- Market factors
- Overweight and obesity prevalent amongst Irish children
- Ban on advertising criticised by industry and health watchdogs
- Healthier menus emerging in foodservice sector
- Innovations
- The consumer
- RoI parents more likely than NI parents to encourage healthy eating in the home
-
- Figure 1: Agreement with statements relating to children’s eating habits in the home, NI and RoI, January 2014
- Parents seeking healthier children’s menus
-
- Figure 2: Agreement with statements relating to children’s eating habits outside of the home, NI and RoI, January 2014
- Parental demand for ‘healthy’ checkouts
-
- Figure 3: Agreement with statements relating to children and grocery shopping, NI and RoI, January 2014
- What we think
Issues in the Market
-
- What impact are rising overweight and obesity levels having on parents’ attitudes towards their children’s eating habits?
- What can the foodservice industry do to appeal to parents and children to encourage them to dine out more often?
- What influence do children have on grocery shopping?
- What are the key innovations in the children’s food and drink market and what opportunities exist for NPD?
Trend Application
-
- Minimize Me
- Edutainment
- Mintel futures: Generation Next
Market Overview
-
- Key points
- Ireland’s baby boom slowing
-
- Figure 4: Number of live births per year, NI and RoI, 2002-12
- Figure 5: Total fertility rate in top 10 EU countries, 2011
- Births to foreign nationals on the increase
-
- Figure 6: Births registered in Northern Ireland by mothers born outside of NI/RoI and GB, 2002-12
- Childhood obesity gripping Ireland
-
- Figure 7: Prevalence of overweight and obesity at 9 and 13 years old, RoI, 2008 and 2012
- Social class influencing prevalence of obesity
-
- Figure 8: Prevalence of overweight and obesity at 9 years old, by gender, by household class, RoI, 2008
- Inactivity amongst girls fuelling rising obesity rates
-
- Figure 9: Children’s (aged 9 years old) self-reported frequency of sports participation, by gender, RoI
- Almost a third of NI children overweight or obese
-
- Figure 10: Overweight and obesity in children aged 2-15, by gender, NI, 2010 and 2011
- Figure 11: Physical activity levels of NI children, by age, 2010
- Calls for Irish supermarkets to make checkouts a ‘junk-free’ zone
- Lidl leading the way in the promotion of healthy checkouts
- Ban on advertising during children’s programming criticised by Irish food industry
- Fast food restaurants aiming to improve health credentials of menus
- Irish parents seeking healthier children’s options on restaurant menus
- Consumers getting back in the kitchen following the economic downturn
-
- Figure 12: Consumers who cook/prepare meals once/few times a day, RoI, 2005-13
Strengths and Weaknesses
-
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
Who’s Innovating?
-
- Key points
- Confectionery and dairy leading children’s launches
-
- Figure 13: Food and drink targeting children*, by top 10 categories, UK and Ireland, 2009-13
- No additives/preservatives dominating claims
-
- Figure 14: Food and drink targeting children, by top product claims, UK and Ireland, 2013
- Health claims increasing on children’s products
-
- Figure 15: Food and drink targeting children, by health claims, UK and Ireland, 2008 and 2013
- ‘Free-from’ confectionery
- Healthy snacking
- Pouch format for easy feeding
- Added goodness and gluten-free
- International cuisines inspiring young palates
The Consumer – Children’s Eating Habits in the Home
-
- Key points
- RoI parents more likely than NI parents to encourage children to eat healthily
-
- Figure 16: Agreement with statements relating to children’s eating habits, NI and RoI, January 2014
- RoI parents encouraging healthy snacking throughout childhood
-
- Figure 17: Agreement with the statement ‘I encourage my child(ren) to snack on fresh fruit and/or vegetables’, by age of children in household, NI and RoI, January 2014
- RoI parents cooking from scratch for children
-
- Figure 18: Agreement with statements relating to children’s eating habits in the home, NI and RoI, January 2014
- Less than half of NI parents making healthy dinners for their children
-
- Figure 19: Agreement with the statement ‘I go out of my way to make healthy dinners for my child(ren)’, by gender and social grade, NI and RoI, January 2014
- Majority of Irish parents trust children to eat healthily on their own
-
- Figure 20: Agreement with the statement ‘I do not trust my child(ren) to eat healthily on their own’, by age of children in household, NI and RoI, January 2014
- A quarter of RoI parents worried about children’s weight
-
- Figure 21: Agreement with the statement ‘I worry about my child(ren)’s weight’, NI and RoI, January 2014
- Opportunity for value-added healthy food options for children
-
- Figure 22: Agreement with the statement ‘I would pay more for children's food with added health benefits’, NI and RoI, January 2014
The Consumer – Children’s Eating Habits Outside of the Home
-
- Key points
- Parents seeking more variety and healthier options for children’s menus
-
- Figure 23: Agreement with statements relating to children’s eating habits outside of the home, NI and RoI, January 2014
- Children’s menus lacking variety
-
- Figure 24: Agreement with the statement ‘I think children's menus need more variety’, by age of children in household, NI and RoI, January 2014
- High-fat and salt options dominating children’s menus
-
- Figure 25: Foods available on children’s menu, IoI, November 2013
- Demand for healthy options outside of the home
-
- Figure 26: Agreement with the statement ‘I think children's menus need more healthy options’, by social class and age of children in household, NI and RoI, January 2014
- Restaurant portion sizes could help promote healthy eating
-
- Figure 27: Agreement with the statement ‘Restaurants should offer a range of portion sizes for children of different sizes/ ages’, by social class and age of children in household, NI and RoI, January 2014
- ABC1 consumers valuing family-friendly restaurants
-
- Figure 28: Agreement with the statement ‘I pick restaurants suited for families/children’, by social class, NI and RoI, January 2014
- Italian and fast food appealing to Irish families when dining outside of the home
-
- Figure 29: Consumers who have eaten at a pizza/pasta/Italian or fast food restaurant in the last three months, by number of children in household, NI and RoI, May 2013
The Consumer – Children’s Influence on Grocery Shopping
-
- Key points
- Sweet-free checkouts would be welcomed by Irish parents
-
- Figure 30: Agreement with statements relating to children and grocery shopping, NI and RoI, January 2014
- RoI parents seeking junk food-free checkouts
-
- Figure 31: Agreement with the statement ‘I would prefer that sweets were not on sale at the checkout/tills’, by age of children in household, NI and RoI, January 2014
- Grocery shopping not an enjoyable experience for parents
-
- Figure 32: Agreement with the statement ‘I enjoy going shopping with my child(ren)’, NI and RoI, January 2014
- Majority of children influencing grocery shopping
-
- Figure 33: Agreement with statements relating to children and grocery shopping, NI and RoI, January 2014
- Advertising influencing children despite new broadcasting code
-
- Figure 34: Agreement with the statement ‘Advertising has an influence on what groceries my child(ren) want’, by age of children in household, NI and RoI, January 2014
Appendix
-
- NI Toluna tables
-
- Figure 35: Agreement with statements relating to children’s eating habits, by demographics, NI, January 2014
- Figure 36: Agreement with statements relating to children’s eating habits, by demographics, NI, January 2014 (continued)
-
- Figure 37: Agreement with statements relating to children’s eating habits, by demographics, NI, January 2014 (continued)
- Figure 38: Agreement with statements relating to children’s eating habits outside of the home, by demographics, NI, January 2014
-
- Figure 39: Agreement with statements relating to children’s eating habits outside of the home, by demographics, NI, January 2014 (continued)
- Figure 40: Agreement with statements relating to children’s eating habits outside of the home, by demographics, NI, January 2014 (continued)
-
- Figure 41: Agreement with statements relating to children and grocery shopping, by demographics, NI, January 2014
- Figure 42: Agreement with statements relating to children and grocery shopping, by demographics, NI, January 2014 (continued)
-
- Figure 43: Agreement with statements relating to children and grocery shopping, by demographics, NI, January 2014 (continued)
- RoI Toluna tables
-
- Figure 44: Agreement with statements relating to children’s eating habits, by demographics, RoI, January 2014
- Figure 45: Agreement with statements relating to children’s eating habits, by demographics, RoI, January 2014 (continued)
-
- Figure 46: Agreement with statements relating to children’s eating habits, by demographics, RoI, January 2014 (continued)
- Figure 47: Agreement with statements relating to children’s eating habits outside of the home, by demographics, RoI, January 2014
-
- Figure 48: Agreement with statements relating to children’s eating habits outside of the home, by demographics, RoI, January 2014 (continued)
- Figure 49: Agreement with statements relating to children’s eating habits outside of the home, by demographics, RoI, January 2014 (continued)
-
- Figure 50: Agreement with statements relating to children and grocery shopping, by demographics, RoI, January 2014
- Figure 51: Agreement with statements relating to children and grocery shopping, by demographics, RoI, January 2014 (continued)
-
- Figure 52: Agreement with statements relating to children and grocery shopping, by demographics, RoI, January 2014 (continued)
Back to top