Dinnertime Occasions: Winning Share of Stomach

Dinnertime Occasions: Winning Share of Stomach

Introduction
Consumers' dinner behaviors are contradictory in nature. It is still the key daily meal in terms of size, but time-pressured lifestyles and convenience needs are clashing with heightened health concerns and desire for sensory satisfaction. This increases the complexity for CPG marketers, but also the opportunities for those offering solutions that balance such divergent needs most effectively.

Scope

Highlights

Reasons to Purchase

• Overview
  • Catalyst
  • Summary
  • Table of figures
  • Table of tables
• THE FUTURE DECODED
  • Introduction: Consumers' traditional dinnertime behaviors are being reshaped
• TREND: The number of dinner occasions is declining
  • European consumers are skipping dinner more frequently than US consumers
  • Time-sensitivity is impinging on the traditional dinnertime
  • The recessionary environment may have a noticeable impact on dinner behaviors
  • Key takeouts and implications: dinner remains central to consumers' daily meal behaviors but is increasingly time-pressured like breakfast and lunch occasions
• TREND: Consumers are increasingly eating dinner out of the home
  • The majority of dinner time occasions still take place in the home
  • Third place dinner occasions are becoming more popular
  • On-the-move and at work occasions are gaining share in the evening, echoing the trends at other mealtimes
  • Key takeouts and implications: foodservice stands to gain from consumers' eating out behaviors but home-based dinners remain the ideal
• INSIGHT: Males and younger adults show the highest rates of dinner skipping
  • Males have a greater propensity to skip dinner
  • Teenagers and young adults are most likely to skip dinner
  • Aging populations will lead to more consistent dinner consumption habits
  • Seniors tend to balance convenience and comfort in their food preparation behaviors
  • Key takeouts and implications: marketers must research and understand demographic shifts and differing needs to tap into the market's hot spots
• INSIGHT: Contradictory habits define evening meal occasions
  • Consumers are aiming to re-connect with family and friends over a freshly prepared meal
  • Consumers value the authenticity and comfort cues of traditional or home-style foods
  • Scratch cooking of the evening meal is still very common across all countries
  • Socializing in the home is influencing the nature of dinner occasions
  • Entertaining at home has a widening audience, particularly amongst younger consumers
  • Dinner time occasions are becoming less formal, as time-pressured consumers seek out quick and easy meals
  • Key takeouts and implications: strong potential sales lie where consumers' diverse motivations intersect
• INSIGHT: Health concerns have a growing influence on dinner occasions
  • Consumers are more likely to sacrifice health for indulgence in the evening
  • Evening snacking behaviors can be adjusted to increase healthiness
  • Dinner time occasions are becoming more health oriented
  • The rise of light meals is driven by the dual benefits of convenience and health
  • Parents are using dinner time occasions to address their children's eating habits
  • Key takeouts and implications: help consumers manage their daily health needs with emphasis on the pivotal role of dinner
• ACTION POINTS
• ACTION: Market products that satisfy comfort cues with added convenience
• ACTION: Target evening social consumption occasions
  • Expand online ordering opportunities for party hosts and individual consumers
  • Products that emphasize sharing have added value for social consumers
• ACTION: Respond to health needs with nutritionally balanced meal offerings and healthy snacks
  • Portion control offerings for evening consumption offer a tangible health strategy for consumers
• ACTION: Use focused demographic targeting to maximize product appeal
• APPENDIX
  • Methodology
  • Further reading
  • Ask the analyst
  • Datamonitor consulting
  • Disclaimer
• List of Tables
  • Table 1: The number of per capita dinner occasions versus skipped dinner occasions, Europe, the US, Australia and New Zealand, 2007-2012
  • Table 2: Consumer survey: the frequency of skipping an evening meal, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, 2008
  • Table 3: The number of per capita dinner occasions, by location of consumption, Europe, the US, Australia and New Zealand, 2007-2012
  • Table 4: Consumer survey: Frequency of eating a sit-down meal in a full service restaurant, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, 2008
  • Table 5: The number of per capita dinner occasions, by location of consumption, by GENDER, Europe, the US, Australia and New Zealand, 2007-2012
  • Table 6: Number of skipped dinner occasions per capita, by age group, Europe, US, Australia and New Zealand, 2007
  • Table 7: Consumer survey: Degree of influence upon choice of food and beverage products by the ability to share products with friends or family, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, 2008
  • Table 8: Consumer survey: degree of appeal of food and drink marketed as authentic, home-made or original, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, 2008
  • Table 9: Consumer survey: Frequency of cooking an evening meal at home from scratch, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, 2008
  • Table 10: Consumer survey: frequency of entertaining friends or family at home (for a meal, drinks or party) in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, by country, 2008
  • Table 11: Consumer survey: Frequency of eating a takeaway meal in the home, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, 2008
  • Table 12: Consumer survey: frequency of preparing a main meal in the home that predominantly involves microwaving, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, 2008
  • Table 13: Consumer survey: Frequency of snacking on food in the evening, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, 2008
• List of Figures
  • Figure 1: A variety of factors are reshaping consumers' dinnertime behaviors
  • Figure 2: US consumers view dinner as the second-most important meal occasion of the day from a health perspectiive
  • Figure 3: Sainsbury's Super Naturals ready meals offer convenient, healthy solutions with strong indulgent credentials
  • Figure 4: Case Study: Purely American Foods' Slow Cooker Gourmet meal kits
  • Figure 5: Case Study: Sainsbury's In-store Deli Party Platter service offers party hosts extensive menu options and local store availability at private consumer-friendly price points
  • Figure 6: Case Study: Room Service takes online meal ordering into premiumized territory