The Waitrose Food and Drink Report 2016, just published by the UK grocer, has identified four key trends in consumers' relationship with food, showing how food has become part of identity rather than just sustenance.
The report’s findings include the effect social media has on food habits: one in five Britons sent a picture of their meals to a friend or posted it on social media platforms; it found that 44% of people are being more creative with their cooking when anticipating sharing it online.
Healthy eating is now seen as part of everyday life rather than a determined effort, with 71% of people saying looking after what they eat is just part of 'who they are'.
Shoppers are also choosing lighter alternatives (60%) compared to five years ago, with customers choosing vegetable alternatives to heavier carbohydrates such as potatoes. Mini treats have seen an increase in popularity over full size options; an example being mini hot cross buns at Easter which were up 165% this year.
Food sourcing and environmental issues have also been of greater importance to shoppers in the past five years with 80% of Britons actively considering how their food is sourced. The popularity of smaller shops was identified by customers as helping to improve the problem of food waste - 46% of people are throwing away less food than five years ago and a third of people are using their freezers more often.
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Aoife Lawless. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
