Stay ahead of the curve and future-proof your business with Mintel’s UK Attitudes towards Lunch Out-of-Home Market Report 2024. Our full report is packed with consumer-led market intelligence, the latest trends and consumer behaviours affecting out-of-home lunchtime occasions. Get a 360° view of the lunchtime food industry including market size, share and forecasted growth to help you align your business strategy with the needs of your audience.
Below, we’ve handpicked the key insights analysed in the full report and summarised the core topics.
Key Topics Discussed in the Full Report
- Annual changes in participation in buying lunch from foodservice venues.
- Workers’ lunch behaviour, including use of workplace catering services.
- Post-pandemic lunch trends and habits reveal a rise in preparing lunch at home and a drop in takeaway food consumption.
- Most important health claims when buying lunch out-of-home.
- Factors that influence consumers’ decision-making when eating/ordering weekday vs weekend lunches.
- Interest in innovations and emerging lunchtime foodservice trends.
- Brand research on Pret a Manger, Greggs, Subway, and M&S Simply Food among many more.
Lunchtime Food Industry Outlook
The UK lunch out-of-home (OOH) market faces a double-edged sword; rising cost of living continues to squeeze consumer spending, which is coupled with a year-on-year decline in takeaway purchases. This shift is further evidenced by a drop in supermarket grab-and-go options, indicating a move away from convenience-driven lunches.
Lunch Trends and Opportunities for Retailers
Amidst the cost of living crisis, there is potential for recovery. The key lies in understanding the importance of value-for-money. For instance, weekday lunch decisions are driven by affordability. To remain competitive against cheaper alternatives, like homemade lunches, foodservice operators need to keep prices as low as possible.
- Consumer lunch trends: 40% of lunchtime food consumers prioritise low-cost over other purchasing factors.
Weekday lunch out-of-home is evolving to cater to health-conscious workers, presenting an opportunity for brands to offer healthier menus with a focus on gut health and fresh produce. Clear communication of health benefits can establish these brands as top choices for busy professionals seeking feel-good lunches.
- Consumer lunch trends: 33% of consumers prioritise choosing lunch with low sugar claims.
Readers of this report may also be interested in our UK Eating Out Market Report 2024, or our range of Foodservice Market Research.
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Meet the Expert
Trish Caddy currently writes a range of UK foodservice reports and has been called upon by some of UK’s leading media to comment on key insights and trends shaping the UK eating-out market. Prior to joining Mintel, Trish worked as a chef in London.
Lunch decisions are influenced by affordability due to the economic squeeze. Foodservice must adapt pricing strategies to attract budget-conscious consumers.
Trish Caddy
Associate Director – Foodservice
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Executive Summary
- Opportunities for the lunch out-of-home market
- Three major opportunities for the market
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Market outlook for lunch out of home
- Brits eating on the move more than ever
- What consumers want and why
- Evolving landscape of lunch OOH in 2024
- Graph 1: changes in lunch out-of-home purchase methods in the last 12 months, 2021-24
- Britons crave variety for lunch takeaways
- Graph 2: changes in lunch takeaway venues used in the last 12 months, 2023-24
- Lunch options need to be healthy
- Graph 3: most important health claims when buying lunch, 2024
- Provide practical options win on weekdays and indulgence at the weekend
- Graph 4: most important features when eating out/ordering takeaway for weekday/weekend lunches, 2024
- Innovation and marketing
- High recognition, low repeat visits
- Graph 5: key brand metrics for selected brands operating in the lunch OOH category, 2024
- How brands are innovating lunch OOH experiences
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Market Dynamics
- Competitive strategies
- How Gail’s, Pret, and Greggs are battling for a bite of lunch
- How Crussh, Pure, and Tossed are reshaping their estates
- Atis: a case study for lunch OOH operators…
- … reimagining grab-and-go with fresh food and growth ambitions
- Macro-economic factors
- Falling inflation has reduced pressure on household finances
- Graph 6: CPI inflation rate, 2021-24
- Food and drink prices still top the list of consumer concerns
- Graph 7: cost of living related issues noticed in the last two months, 2024
- Consumer sentiment: wellbeing is up but the recovery has slowed
- Graph 8: the financial wellbeing index, 2016-24
- Consumer confidence continued to trend upwards
- Graph 9: the financial confidence index, 2016-24
- Social, environmental and legal factors
- Brits eating on the move more than ever
- Graph 10: frequency of eating on the go all/most of the time, 2016-24
- More balanced distribution reflects changing work models
- Graph 11: transactions at Pret a Manger, 2021-24
- Single-use plastic packaging ban in effect
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What Consumers Want and Why
- Annual changes in purchase methods
- Cost crunch dampens OOH lunch
- Graph 12: changes in lunch out-of-home purchase methods in the last 12 months, 2021-24
- Impact of cost-consciousness on OOH lunch habits
- Contract catering weathers the storm
- Annual changes in takeaway venues used
- Convenience still reigns…
- Graph 13: changes in lunch takeaway venues used in the last 12 months, 2023-24
- …but quality and variety gain ground
- Graph 14: % point change in lunch takeaway venues used in the last 12 months, 2023 vs 2024
- Brits turning to pubs for takeaways
- Post-pandemic behaviour changes
- Younger consumers embrace home lunches
- Graph 15: post-pandemic lunch at home behaviour change in preparing lunch at home compared to before COVID-19, by age groups, 2024
- Younger consumers lead the charge with anti-waste apps
- Graph 16: post-pandemic lunch out of home behaviour change in ordering food from anti-food waste apps for lunch, by age, 2024
- City dwellers drive lunches near their home
- Graph 17: post-pandemic lunch out of home behaviour change in buying lunch from a food outlet based near their home, by location, 2024
- Young workers fuel lunches near workplaces
- Graph 18: post-pandemic lunch out of home behaviour change in buying lunch from a food outlet based near their workplace, by age, 2024
- Family focus for lunchtime dining experiences
- Graph 19: post-pandemic lunch out of home behaviour change in eating lunch in at a food outlet (excluding canteens), by presence of children, 2024
- Delivery’s growth spurt has stabilised
- Graph 20: post-pandemic lunch out of home behaviour change in ordering lunch for delivery, by age, 2024
- Youthful cravings for supermarket meal deals
- Graph 21: post-pandemic lunch out of home behaviour change in buying meal deals from supermarkets/convenience stores to eat for lunch, by age, 2024
- Blue collar workers take bigger bite in canteen lunches
- Graph 22: post-pandemic lunch out of home behaviour change in buying lunch from a canteen, by social grade, 2024
- Top health claims
- Desire to stay within macronutrient ranges
- Graph 23: most important health claims when buying lunch, 2024
- Consumers prioritise balanced lunch choices
- Generational shift in lunchtime priorities
- Health claims reflect broader workforce wellness focus
- Graph 24: consumers who made lifestyle changes outside of work, by health claims considered when buying lunch, 2024
- Health-conscious workers drive proactive choices
- Key drivers for different meal occasions
- Lunch priorities change across the week
- Graph 25: most important features when eating out/ordering takeaway for weekday/weekend lunches, 2024
- Weekday hustle vs weekend leisure
- Decoding what lunchtime consumers want most
- Affordable and healthy options
- Reaching weekend lunch diners…
- …through indulgence, value and speed
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Innovation And Marketing Trends
- Chains dish up budget-friendly deals
- Parents are craving lunch out…
- …and family promotions serve up the solution!
- UK restaurants dish up new lunch concepts
- As one in four craves speed…
- …fast food gets faster
- Younger consumers are at the forefront of greener lunches…
- …driving waste-conscious feel-good choices
- Supermarket deals bag a big bite of lunch
- Say goodbye to microwaves with self-heating meals
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Brand Research
- Brands fall short on usage
- Graph 26: key brand metrics for selected brands operating in the lunch OOH category, 2024
- Familiarity and reputation are crucial factors
- Value-for-money reigns supreme
- Graph 27: attitudes towards brands operating in the lunch OOH category, 2024
- Macro vs micro appeal: fun, accessible brands win
- Graph 28: lunch OOH brand personality – macro image (overall brand perception), 2023
- Graph 29: lunch OOH brand personality – micro image (specific attributes associated with the brand), 2023
- A captivating and recognisable brand identity fuels the lunch OOH market
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Appendix
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations and terms
- Methodology
- Consumer research methodology
- TURF analysis methodology
- How to read: TURF analysis
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