Shoppers between the ages of 18 and 25 are 'extremely engaged' with the food-to-go market, according to the latest report from grocery research group IGD.
The report showed that 30% of 18-25 year olds purchased food-to-go products in their last shop, compared to 13% of those over 26.
This age group is also more interested in convenience ranges that meet specialist dietary requirements. Almost half wanted to see an increase in vegetarian ranges, compared to 32% of over 26 year olds, while 35% were interested in gluten-free products, compared to 22% of older shoppers.
Growing Market
“We’re forecasting food-to-go to be worth over £21 billion by 2021, so there is a great opportunity for retailers and manufacturers looking to take a bigger bite of this market to really think about how they are appealing to this new generation of shoppers," said Rhian Thomas, shopper insight manager at IGD.
“Manufacturers should continue to innovate to take advantage of this opportunity. Providing products to appeal to all food-to-go occasions, from breakfast to snacking, is a sure way to succeed.”
Specialised retail
A quarter of 18-25 year olds showed a preference for food-to-go specialist retailers, while 24% said that quick service restaurants (QSRs) were their favourite place to buy food-to-go, and 21% cited larger stores.
“We’re already seeing that food-to-go specialists and QSRs are appealing to younger shoppers by focusing on expanded ranges, health, quality and convenience, but there’s an opportunity to continue developing these areas," said Thomas.
"These are the shoppers of the future, so creating food to go ranges that appeal to them could be a route to significant success. Retailers and manufacturers should therefore work together to meet the dynamic needs of this new generation of shopper.”
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Sarah Harford. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
