Whether you produce or sell food and drink, make the tables consumers eat at, the kitchens they cook in or the appliances and utensils that help them, it’s vital that you know about trends in cooking. We are able to bring together a unique set of data sources to provide an insight into people’s attitudes, behavior and aspirations around eating at home. We draw on multiple sources including sales data, consumer trends and forward-focused research exploring homes of the future to highlight opportunities for innovation and growth across multiple food-connected categories.
The UK is neither famous for its culinary skills nor deep interest in the subject. It’s therefore not surprising we fall behind many countries in key measures such as time spent cooking, level of behavior and aspirations around eating at home. We draw on multiple sources including sales data, consumer trends and forward-focused research exploring homes of the future to highlight opportunities for innovation and growth across multiple food-connected categories.knowledge and degree of passion for cookery. But behind that headline lies a matrix of change in our attitudes and behaviors in the kitchen.
We might reasonably consider the greatest time spent cooking to be during the family years with children at home. But our data confirms otherwise.
This may be explained by the greater availability of time to spend in the kitchen for the over 60s, or a mistrust/dislike of ready meals and the desire to create meals from scratch. In contrast, a busy household with small children may rely more upon convenience food and quick cooking.
The picture that emerges in the UK is that of a mix of creative cooks who use the latest gadgets, to time-pressed or unenthusiastic cooks who prefer the easiness of a ready meal. This presents an interesting proposition for manufacturers offering the range of culinary aids, devices and eating experiences and makes the need to identify your target market correctly a key challenge.
Television brings us a huge 220+ hours of cookery programs each week. This attracts a total audience figure of around 30 million, nearly half the UK population. Sales of cookery books have also increased dramatically as our interest and desire for cooking expertise has grown.
With these conditions addressed, smart appliances are a perfect way to drive consumer interest, demonstrating innovation and technological leadership.
Despite the fact that the UK has lagged behind other countries in terms of interest in and passion for cooking, the trend for healthy eating and awareness of how technology can transform our experience of cooking, means that the market is in an interesting period of change. The fortunes of the ready meal market have altered over time, as have the occasions in which convenience foods are used compared to cooking from scratch. These shifts present opportunities for the manufacturers and retailers who are most aware of their consumers’ changing needs.