Insight: new Waitrose report shows consumers are in control
Waitrose has launched its latest report on the UK’s top food, drink and shopping trends.
The fifth Waitrose Food & Drink Report reveals that today’s consumer is firmly in the driving seat with regard to shopping and eating.
Based on a year’s worth of Waitrose sales with input from retail experts, the study found that three quarters of UK consumers regard dining out alone as more socially acceptable than five years ago, with a third saying they ate out alone in the last month.
When it comes to diet, a common-sense approach now rules; strict plans or cutting entire food groups has fallen out of favour and carbs are well and truly back on the menu.
Waitrose managing director Rob Collins said: “Our research found people have become more flexible in their shopping patterns, more price-savvy and more single-minded than ever before. For example a staggering 65% of Britons visit a supermarket more than once a day on a regular or occasional basis. Over half of us don’t decide what we’re having for dinner until lunchtime; one in 10 of us will decide just before we eat. The consumer is in charge of their domain.”
Looking at trends, the reports reveals that Waitrose has seen a move to small, shallow trolleys as customers move away from doing one big weekly shop.
In addition, the report shows which region drinks the most bag-in-a-box wine, where in the country are you most likely to be served a local beer, and who is most likely to enjoy a port or sherry. It also gives an insight into details such as the UK’s favourite pie filling and the preferred sauce and side dish to accompany it.
The full report can be downloaded here.
