Snapshot of daily life in average British kitchen

Sainsbury’s, in partnership with research agency Mintel Consulting, has launched new research that it says acts as a modern day census of our nation’s kitchen habits, covering everything from the weekly family grocery shop to how people behave in the kitchen on a daily basis. The “Kitchen Dynamics” study was carried out amongst 2,500 families and a further 25 families mapped their kitchen behaviour every day for a week via real time, online diaries. Key findings, commissioned as part of Sainsbury’s promise to help families Live Well for Less, included: Sunday lunch now Sunday evening feast: 84% of us still choose to cook a roast on a Sunday but for half of the families across Britain the time we choose to dish it up has been pushed back from the traditional lunchtime slot to the more amenable timeframe of between 4.30pm and 7.30pm, with one in five families eating their roast between 6 and 7pm. Families who were interviewed as part of the research suggested that the main reason for this was to enable them to fit more into their already busy weekends. Dinner before six: The average family eats at 5.54pm during the week. Those in London eat as late as 6.46pm, a whole hour later than those in the West Midlands who eat, on average, at 5.47pm during the week. Families dine together in dining rooms: Despite juggling conflicting diary commitments and hectic lifestyles, 84% of families find time to sit down together at least twice a week with over half of family households saying that they always eat together during the week. Nearly half (46%) are also choosing to serve dinner in a dining room, separate from the kitchen. Dinner diversity: Although we all sit down together as much as we can, it turns out we don’t all have the same food in front of us. Two thirds of households now consider themselves to have special dietary requirements – including an intolerance, low calorie regime or food group avoidance – meaning Mums across the country are cooking an average of 2.25 evening meals for each sitting. Food allergies and intolerances have also impacted the kind of foods we’re picking off the shelf, as recent Sainsbury’s data shows sales of their own-brand range of Freefrom have increased by 26% year on year. Meal Planners are order of the day for one in two households: When it comes to our stomachs, we are creatures of habit, with nearly half of British families (48%) eating the same meal on a particular night each week. Interestingly, women tend to stick to the same repertoire of meals week in, week out (59%) but say their partners are far less likely to stick to the same menu (15%). Women are still kitchen chiefs: Despite the perception of modern men increasingly sharing the domestic duties, the report shows that women still have overall responsibility for all things kitchen related with 86% of women saying that the majority of the time, they do the cooking and eight out of 10 times they are responsible for all things grocery related including shopping lists, all shopping trips, checking the fridge and cupboards, planning meals and even popping out for last minute necessities. The family kitchen budget is also controlled by women, with 74% saying they are the most economical with the grocery finances. When handed the shopping bags, men spend an extra £235 on groceries each year, which could be attributed to the fact that just 31% of men plan the meals they cook in advance, compared to 66% of women. Reconfirmed by the fact that 66% of women say they are more likely to use leftovers than their partners (14%). Susi Richards, Head of Food at Sainsbury’s, said: “Kitchen Dynamics offers a “fly on the wall” snapshot of how the average British family behaves in the comfort of their own kitchen. “Despite the downturn, reassuringly we are still seeing a real emphasis on the importance of eating together and the presence of routine as a way of coping with the pressures of the busy family week. The shifting backwards of the Sunday Lunch to early evening is a clear example of families ring-fencing meal time but adapting tradition to suit the modern day demands of a hectic family schedule. “83% of families in our study changed their grocery shopping habits. We are committed to catering for this change and helping families enjoy great quality food at affordable price. Research like this allows us to align our offer accordingly; ultimately helping our customers live well for less.” NamNews - Thursday 2nd May 2013

Shoppers' decisions are made well before arring in store: what are the marketing implications?

New research shows that nearly nine in ten consumers (88%) typically now plan their shop prior to physically visiting a supermarket - underpinning the need for FMCG manufacturers to devote more resource to understanding more accurately what motivates shopper decisions. . The research, commissioned by Coupons.com UK & Europe, illustrates how important it is for FMCG manufacturers to plan their marketing in a way that better influences shoppers’ purchasing decisions before they arrive in-store or click to shop online, as well as understanding what motivates them after purchase. This, says Bridgethorne, a category management and shopper marketing specialist, may require a mind-shift for some manufacturers towards understanding and influencing how shoppers behave at each point of their purchase journey and how this fits in with promotional activity in-store. In this age of the digital shopper and ever changing shopper behaviour, FMCG suppliers need to be concerned about the entire path to purchase (pre, during and post), in-store and outside if they are to remain competitive, relevant to shoppers and to deliver the best possible return on hard fought budgets “This research confirms a trend that manufacturers simply must factor into their planning,” explained Bridgethorne director, John Nevens. “Although many buying decisions are made at shelf, more and more are being made before the shopper even leaves home. With conventional forms of marketing becoming fragmented, manufacturers must work harder to get their products onto shoppers’ lists before they arrive in store or go online.” “This,” said Nevens, “means understanding the shopper better and drilling down into insights to gain a detailed understanding of the shopper and their journey so that you can directly influence them at the point of transaction, wherever that may be.” Shopper behaviour may have moved decidedly towards price comparisons and promotions in response to the economic environment but, Bridgethorne said, this research also shows that focusing purely on cut-price promotions in-store is not enough. Manufacturers also need to understand shoppers’ emotional attachments to brands and products.   NamNews - Thursday 2nd May 2013

Meal deal opportunity?

61% of UK adults buy
lunch to go
at least once per week



Source: Him! 02.05.2013

"Al desko" breakfast trend: consumers want packaging innovations

Breakfast on the go has become the norm

 

The ‘al-desko’ breakfast trend has hit Britain and prompted consumer demands for re-sealable, easy to open cereal packs, says a Mintel analyst.

Mintel’s British Lifestyles 2013 report found that the economic climate has prompted more in-home eating in the UK. But Alex Beckett, food analyst at Mintel, said the complete opposite can be seen for breakfast, where consumers are eating their morning meal on the go or at work.

 

"Manufacturers have been forced to recognize the importance and opportunities of the ‘al-desko’ trend,"Beckett told BakeryandSnacks.com. "We’ve seen some really interesting developments where new product development (NPD) has come forward in terms of packaging and portability". "Breakfast cereal pots, for example, tap directly into these needs and have done well in the market, he added".

 

 

Consumers demanding pack changes

 

"There is great consumer demand for changes to breakfast cereal packaging," Beckett said.

 

More than three-quarters (78%) of cereal users would buy a product with re-sealable packaging and 64% would like to see packaging that keeps cereal fresher for longer.

 

"These packaging demands could be linked with the value-for-money trend – with consumers being more concerned about wastage. But it could also suggest that consumers have wider repertoires of cereal, therefore it takes them longer to eat, the analyst said.

 

There is also a demand for easier to open packs from 57% of consumers.

Cereal pots v. bars

 

The UK has seen a flurry of new product launches in pot forms from big brands including Quaker. However, Beckett said the pot category,"hasn’t got that instant, impulse appeal"that cereal bars have.

 

Cereal bars, while more developed, continue to soar because they combine health and convenience well, he said.

 

 

‘Try me’ options could surge

 

Beckett said the recent shift towards trial packs containing smaller, test-size portions is interesting and something likely to continue.

 

Kellogg recently launched a trial pack for its Coco Pops, retailed at £1.38 ($2.14) with three mini servings and a ‘try me’ sticker on pack.

 

These trial packs are to encourage new usage occasions rather than attract new customers, the analyst said, as firms try to spur growth.

 

"Manufacturers really struggle to drive volume growth because household penetration of breakfast cereals is already extremely high," he said.

 

Mintel data shows that 9 in 10 Brits eat breakfast cereals and 6 in 10 do this on a daily basis.

 

 

Source: Bakeryandsnacks.com, by Kacey Culliney, 30th April 2013

Taking the fear factor out of French patisserie and viennoiserie

 

 

Will Torrent is a rising star in the pastry world and in his first book, he aims to take the fear factor out of French patisserie. There are chapters on basic techniques, patisserie, tarts, petits fours, gateaux & desserts, and viennoiserie, and you'll find recipes for mocha eclairs, lemon tart, honey madeleines, brioche and macarons.

 

He is an award winning Patissier and Chocolatier and a rising star in the food world, with a grandfather who was a chef and a family who owned a patisserie in Paris, cooking has always been in Will's blood. His first foray into the world of high-class cuisine came at Heston Blumenthal's world-renowned Fat Duck at the tender age of 16.

 

In just a few short years the talented pastry chef has picked up an array of awards, including Craft Guild of Chefs Young Chef of the Year 2009, the 2010 Acorn Scholar and the first Medallion of Excellence when he represented the UK at WorldSkills Japan 2007

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Patisserie-at-Home-Will-Torrent/dp/1849753547

 

Certainly someone to watch!

 

Source: The Food People, 30th April 2013

Pizza Express Gluten Free

As of Tuesday 30th April Pizza Express are joining the numerous other Italian chain restaurants in serving gluten free options. Most of their pizza's on the classic menu can now be made using their gluten free classic pizza bases which has been certified by Ceoliac UK as 'No Gluten Containing Ingredients' (NGCI). You will even be able to finish off your meal with a gluten free brownie and wash the whole lot down with gluten free Pilsner beer!
 

Pizza Express have assured the Ceoliac community that they are going to every length to avoid cross contamination; replacing all flour used to toss and stretch the dough in the kitchens with gluten free blends, separate equipment and storage as well as training their staff on the new gluten-free protocol.

 
Gluten free tweeters have already urged the restaurant to create gluten free dough balls so watch this space...

 

Source: The Food People, 30th April 2013

Replace financial currency by a social one: innovative "Pay by picture" scheme between Weetabix and Boots

Weetabix claims to have made retail history last night by broadcasting an advertisement encouraging people to take a picture of its ‘Weetabix On The Go’ biscuit on their smartphones, which can be used to buy a pack of the new breakfast snack. The cereal makerhas linked up with Boots to become the first company to trial the ‘Pay-By-Picture’ technique, giving smartphone users a new, alternative way to get its products. Ben Cooper from Weetabix said: “There is huge value in people taking pictures of our new products and sharing the images amongst their friendship groups so we’re excited to be the first company to try this in partnership with Boots. It is undoubtedly a brave move to replace financial currency with social currency, but we’re hoping the 55% of people that currently use their smartphone whilst watching TV will take part in the unique retail initiative, try our new breakfast biscuit and become long-term customers.” The Weetabix On The Go #TAKETHEBISCUIT advertisement is part of a £6m marketing campaign. It was broadcast last night during ITV soap Emmerdale. Consumers will be able to Pay-By-Picture - showing a picture of Weetabix On The Go in exchange for a pack of four biscuits – from today in over 700 Boots stores nationwide. Weetabix On The Go is described as a new breakfast biscuit offering fuel on the go for people who have skipped breakfast. Source: NamNews - Tuesday 23rd April 2013

Grocery Shares - 12 w.e 14.04.2013: Waitrose and discounters see strong share growth whilst Asda, Morrisons and Tesco slip

The latest grocery share figures from Kantar Worldpanel for the 12 weeks ending 14 April 2013 show an increasingly polarised grocery market with Waitrose, Aldi and Lidl all posting record market shares, whilst the leading multiples continued to struggle. . Aldi set two records in the latest period, with its highest ever growth of 31.1% delivering a record market share of 3.4%. Lidl’s market share of 3.0% is also an all-time high for the retailer. Edward Garner, director at Kantar Worldpanel, explained: “Pressure on household budgets is undoubtedly driving some of the growth at the discounters, but messages about quality are starting to resonate. Lidl announced this week that it will increase its fresh meat and poultry floorspace by 50% within the year, and Aldi’s new ‘convenience’ store in Kilburn is a departure from its traditional edge-of-town offering. These changes are likely to appeal to a new and different group of shoppers which will bolster the performance of the discounters even further.” Meanwhile, the strong performance of Waitrose continued, leading to a record share of 4.9%. Shoppers rate Waitrose highly in terms of provenance and clearly-defined supply chains – important credentials in the wake of the horse meat scandal and factors which have clearly boosted sales at the retailer. Within the big four, Sainsbury’s again delivered the strongest growth at 5.4% and was the only one to increase market share, now at 16.9%. Meanwhile, Tesco, Asda and Morrisons all saw their shares slip slightly with growth behind the overall market figure of 3.6%, impacted by the rise of the discounters. Updating on grocery inflation, Kantar Worldpanel said it stood 3.8% for the 12 week period. This was a fall from the 4.2% in its last report and is now only slightly higher than the market growth of 3.6%. These findings are based on Kantar Worldpanel data for the 12 weeks to 14 April 2013. Kantar Worldpanel monitors the household grocery purchasing habits of 30,000 demographically representative households in Great Britain. All data discussed in the above announcement is based on the value of items being bought by these consumers. Source: NamNews - Wednesday 24th April 2013

New Campaign For Jacob’s Oddities

United Biscuits is set to launch a major new marketing campaign to support its Jacob’s Oddities savoury biscuits range this May. The campaign will include the re-launch of a popular TV advert, a new radio campaign, in store activation, as well as digital and social media activity. Starting 6 May, the TV campaign will run for five weeks, and will highlight the addition of three new variants to the range. The radio campaign will go live on 3 June, and feature three 30 second adverts which will each focus on different flavours. The brand will also use its Facebook and dedicated microsite to link with consumers, while implementing sampling and in-store advertising. United Biscuits noted: “Oddities has been received exceptionally well by consumers as shown by the recent Savoury Snack Product of the Year 2013 Award and the fact the brand has already achieved such a high brand value within a year of sale. As a result, Jacob’s Oddities has driven fresh, younger consumers into the category and has helped the savoury biscuits category achieve a healthy category growth of 13%. Already a popular brand amongst consumers, this marketing campaign will help to take Jacob’s Oddities to another level of brand awareness prompting new customers into the savoury biscuits aisle and increasing sales for retailers as a result.”

Study Reveals Supermarkets Becoming ‘One-Stop Shops’ For Many Consumers

Eight million (16%) shoppers say they are now using supermarkets as ‘one-stop shops’ by purchasing all their non-food items as well as food products there, according to new research from Santander. The findings reveal that 98% of Brits now purchase at least some non-food items such as clothes or electronics from their local supermarket, with nearly two thirds (64%) doing so for convenience, 51% to take advantage of competitive prices and 27% to take advantage of rewards and loyalty points. With a vast range of non-food items now available at supermarket retailers, it’s not surprising to see that nearly three quarters (72%) of shoppers have bought clothing and accessories from a supermarket retailer, rising to 78% for female shoppers. CDs, DVDs or video games were the second most common non-food purchase (67%), followed by household electrical appliances (67%), toys (42%), gardening equipment and DIY tools (32%), mobile phone or computing devices (25%), sport and fitness products (14%) and indoor furniture (13%). Aside from cost, convenience and rewards, almost a quarter (23%) of Britons buy items other than groceries from the supermarket for choice of products, 22% do so because the quality is good and reliable and 13% say it’s because they trust the retailer/brand. The Santander figures reveal that three fifths (60%) of shoppers would be happy to purchase big tickets items like a holiday or TV from a supermarket retailer if the price was competitive. The findings also indicate that over the last few years more than two fifths (43%) of Britons have increased their tendency to purchase non-food items in supermarkets. Alan Mathewson, CEO Santander Cards, said: “Cost, rewards and convenience are a major incentive for shoppers at a time when households are increasingly short of both money and time. This is now also driving a shift in purchasing behaviour as consumers increasingly look to supermarket retailers for non-food purchases. “While independent retailers continue to offer a more traditional high street experience, competitive pricing and generous rewards mean many consumers are looking to consolidate their purchasing habits under just one roof.”