Waitrose report uncovers key shopping, eating and drinking habits this year – based on millions of purchases in shops and online, and comprehensive new consumer research
LONDON, 2015-10-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — The report – the third annual Waitrose look at key food and drink trends – was researched throughout 2015. A series of in-depth focus groups in the summer were followed up with comprehensive new OnePoll consumer research. Trends are supported with insight from Waitrose retail and food teams, as well as internal customer research and product sales.
Findings include:
- Half of us now shop more like we’re on holiday; little and often, locally, and focusing on fresh food for tonight. Online shoppers choose twice as many cleaning and store cupboard products as in-store customers – freeing themselves to buy fresh baskets of food as they like. In London 40% of Waitrose sales are after 5pm, as people buy dinner on the way home. And three in 10 people now visit a supermarket three to four times a week – up from a quarter of us five years ago. (Page 9)
- Two thirds admit to being overwhelmed by the endless choice available – whether informal dining, music streaming or TV on demand. We are responding by setting our own boundaries in the home, for example keeping certain nights free to eat together, or banning phones at the table. One in five have bought a meal deal this year, and littleWaitrose sales are up 25% – as people limit the choices they need to make. (Page 3)
- A third of us say pausable TVs and services like Netflix and iPlayer mean fewer TV dinners in our homes. But in general our mealtimes are more informal than ever – one in seven families use their dining room less than they used to, and a quarter of us eat outside more. ‘Grazing’ options in Waitrose shops have surged by 23% this year, and this casual approach is reflected in cooking too – we prepare more sharing plates and informal meals. (Page 7)
- When it comes to health, eight in 10 of us no longer like to be told what’s healthy and what’s not. We are becoming our own experts – researching diets to suit our lifestyle. Sixty percent of us have set ourselves health rules this year. Of these, a quarter have committed to no alcohol during the week, 7.5% have tried the 5:2 diet, and a third have cut down sugar – by far the most popular way to manage health in 2015. (Page 4). Many are doing this by choosing mini versions of their favourites – whether ice creams or bottles of wine. Others have invested in a Nutribullet or a spiraliser (page 8). More than nine in 10 of us now believe in the saying ‘everything in moderation’.
Says Waitrose Managing Director Mark Price: ‘Our research has uncovered a fascinating phenomenon. In this ‘open all hours’ culture, two-thirds of us say we feel overwhelmed by the proliferation of choice available, and feel the need to reimpose boundaries when it comes to family life. In this report, we outline six key boundaries that have evolved and look at how people are, in different ways, replacing them with new ones.’
Released today, 21 October, the report also takes a look at our favourite products of the year (Food Barometer page 2, Drinks Barometer page 12). And at a range of other trends – including whether where you come from might influence your choice of biscuit and whether you choose to dunk (Biscuit map, page 6) – or what the most popular exported Waitrose foods are around the world (in Gibraltar, essential Waitrose cheese and onion crisps tops their shopping list – page 11). And what your age may have to do with your favourite kitchen gadget (Page 8-9).
Notes to editors:
The Waitrose Food & Drink Report is released on Wednesday 21 October. All images and graphics are available to use – please contact us for more information or an interview.
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SOURCE: John Lewis Partnership.