2022
9
UK Menu Trends Market Report 2022
2022-02-15T03:05:39+00:00
REP90C02367_91E5_4C2F_B122_CBB42FD10832
2195
147943
[{"name":"Foodservice","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/industries\/foodservice"}]
Report
en_GB
“The proportion of flexitarians continues to rise annually, with one in three meat eaters having reduced/limited meat consumption. Fuelled by greater awareness of the benefits of eating less meat, and…

UK Menu Trends Market Report 2022

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The UK Menu Trends report identifies consumer attitudes towards food and drink trends, eating out, and ordering takeaway in the UK. This market report covers the market size, market forecast, market segmentation and industry trends for the Menu Trends market in the UK.

Current Market Landscape

Consumer demand for takeaway food has remained high despite the reopening of sit-down restaurants. Breakfast, brunch and lunch takeaway occasions continue to see growth in participation over the past year.

  • 62% of Britons ordered takeaway in the three months to October 2021.
  • 79% of 16-24 year olds are far more likely than older consumers to eat in restaurants/outlets.
  • 89% of 16-24 year olds order takeaway/home delivery.

However, rising inflation, including the increased cost of restaurant/takeaway food, will put pressure on household finances and will likely lead to some consumers cutting back on using foodservice. Yet, many people are still tempted out by an increasingly diverse and high quality dining scene, with on-premise participation driven by consumers making intentional and mindful choices about when they spend money on food outlets/restaurants, such as celebrating a birthday. Therefore, a restaurant that emphasises a superior quality and exclusivity in both the ingredients featured in its dishes and premium front-of-house services will appeal to special occasion diners whilst offering an acceptable reason to increase menu prices.

Future Market Trends in Menu Trends 

Younger workers have been more exposed to the impact of COVID-19 on jobs by virtue of their greater propensity to work in retail, hospitality and leisure, sectors that already tended to be lower-paid and less secure. The foodservice market is challenged to retain frequent usage among some of its most loyal customers.

We know that lower prices would encourage 16-24 year olds to eat more plant-based fast food meals, as Generation Zers lead the charge for more affordable and sustainable meal solutions. As they also have an innate taste for crispy foods (eg deep fried foods), brands that offer low-cost plant-based fast foods will continue to appeal under-25s.

Read on to discover more details or take a look at all of our UK Food and Foodservice market research.

Quickly understand

  • The impact of COVID-19 on eating out, with a focus on menu trends.
  • Annual changes in consumers’ preferences when eating out or ordering takeaway.
  • Consumers’ perceptions of their ideal menu.
  • Consumers’ behaviours when eating out or ordering takeaway.

Covered in this report

Brands: Quorn, Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, McDonald’s, Wagamama, Zizzi’s, The Real Greek, Shake Shack, Bunsik.

Expert analysis from a specialist in the field

This report, written by Trish Caddy, a leading analyst in the Foodservice sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.

The proportion of flexitarians continues to rise annually, with one in three meat eaters having reduced/limited meat consumption. Fuelled by greater awareness of the benefits of eating less meat, and the current yearning for variety in their diets, the latest phase of vegetarianism is also underway, and therefore one in four consumers are currently eating more dairy products than they were 12 months ago. This should prompt foodservice operators to strike a balance between vegan and vegetarian options, rather than pushing vegetarian dishes off menus.

Trish Caddy - Research AnalystTrish Caddy
Senior Foodservice Analyst

 

Collapse All
  1. Overview

    • Key issues covered in this Report
    • COVID-19: market context
    • Economic and other assumptions
    • Products covered in this Report
  2. Executive Summary

    • Impact of COVID-19 on the foodservice market
      • Figure 1: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on foodservice, 2020-25
    • The market
    • Impact of COVID-19 on consumer behaviour
      • Figure 2: Changes in eating out spending habits, 2021
    • Coming out of Plan B
    • Companies and brands
    • Veganuary takes root
    • The consumer
    • The great divide between flexitarians and hardcore meat-eaters
      • Figure 3: Annual changes in dietary preferences, 2020-21
    • Dine-in participation on a path to recovery
      • Figure 4: Popular meal times for eating in, 2020-21
    • Demand for takeaway services continues
      • Figure 5: Popular meal times for ordering takeaway, 2020-21
    • Young consumers enjoy crispy textures
      • Figure 6: Interest in food preparation methods, 2021
    • Interest in choice of portion sizes and better quality meat
      • Figure 7: Consumers’ ideal restaurant/takeaway menu, 2021
    • Diners look for a more tactile dining experience
      • Figure 8: Menu trends behaviours, 2021
  3. Issues and Insights

    • The impact of COVID-19 on menu trends
    • A change in meal times
    • Awareness of healthy eating
    • There is room for more dishes targeted at flexitarians
    • Help moderate meat intake
    • Serve better meat
    • Should vegan options supplant vegetarian dishes?
  4. Market Drivers

    • Impact of COVID-19 on consumer behaviour
      • Figure 9: Changes in eating out spending habits, 2021
    • Impact of Plan B on foodservice
    • The impact of smaller menus and higher prices
    • New calorie-labelling regulations
    • National Food Strategy guidelines
    • GDP should reach pre-pandemic levels by the end of Q1 2022 …
    • … but the post-COVID bounce-back will be short-term
    • Employment has held up better than expected
    • Inflationary pressures are mounting
    • Consumers’ financial wellbeing has slipped from its recent high point …
      • Figure 10: Household financial wellbeing index, 2016-2021
    • … and concerns over inflation are coming to the fore
      • Figure 11: Consumer concerns about household finances, 2021
  5. Launch Activity and Innovation

    • Blurring of food concepts
    • For flavour innovation
    • To cater to flexitarians
    • Age-old food ways
    • To help reduce food waste
    • To promote ‘eatertainment’
    • To premiumise with craft foods and drinks
    • Emerging foodservice promotions
    • Subscription
    • Veganuary
  6. Dietary Preferences

    • The great divide between flexitarians and hardcore meat-eaters
      • Figure 12: Annual changes in dietary preferences, 2020-21
    • The great divide between meat substitutes and fresh vegetables
      • Figure 13: Eating out behaviours towards meat-free dishes, by dietary preferences, 2021
    • Flexitarians focus on better meat
      • Figure 14: Eating out behaviours towards meat, by dietary preferences, 2021
    • Dairy appeals to flexitarians
      • Figure 15: Eating out behaviours towards dairy products, by dietary preferences, 2021
  7. Eating Out Participation

    • Foodservice participation on a path to recovery
      • Figure 16: Annual changes in eating out participation, 2020-21
    • The lasting impact of COVID-19 on eating out participation
  8. Annual Changes in Popular Meal Times

    • Dine-in participation on a path to recovery
      • Figure 17: Popular meal times for eating in, 2020-21
    • Demand for takeaway services continues
      • Figure 18: Popular meal times for ordering takeaway, 2020-21
    • Impact of new working patterns on dinner time
      • Figure 19: Behaviours towards dinner, by working patterns, 2021
  9. Food Preparation Interest

    • Young consumers enjoy crispy textures
      • Figure 20: Interest in food preparation methods, 2021
    • Stir-fries and stews too simple for younger consumers
    • Parents are fired up for “eatertainment”
    • Most people enjoy baked goods
  10. Ideal Menu

    • Young consumers enjoy crispy textures
      • Figure 21: Consumers’ ideal restaurant/takeaway menu, 2021
    • Stir-fries and stews too simple for younger consumers
    • Parents are fired up for “eatertainment”
    • Most people enjoy baked goods
      • Figure 22: Eating Out Behaviours – CHAID – Tree output, 2021
    • Being thoughtful about what they eat
      • Figure 23: Zizzi’s diet-specific menu options
  11. Eating Out Behaviours

    • Younger diners look for a more tactile dining experience
      • Figure 24: Menu trends behaviours, 2021
    • Meat-free options appeal to meat-eaters who are looking for variety
  12. Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information

    • Abbreviations
    • Consumer research methodology
    • CHAID Methodology
      • Figure 25: Menu Trends – CHAID – Table output, 2021
      • Figure 26: Menu Trends – CHAID – Table output, 2021

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