New survey reveals 43% of people eat less meat

A new survey reveals that 43% of people – and 52% of 36 to 45-year olds – eat less meat than they used to as the growing popularity of veganism gains momentum. The ‘Refuelling Rituals’ survey by international customer experience and branding agency I-AM also highlighted the shift towards meal-kits with a third of people using them at least once a week. While people are still eating out and ordering takeaways, 49% of them said they were cooking at home more than they used to, signifying this a key growth area – especially regarding of meal-kit services. Some 54% cited the main benefits of meal-kits as a good way to learn new recipes while 40% saw them as a less wasteful option. Meanwhile, 74% of those surveyed said eating out inspired them to cook at home more. The survey of 2,000 18 to 45-year olds living in UK urban areas reported that ‘dining is about’: being social (76%), getting away from the kitchen (73%), special occasions (69%), eating something unable to unwilling to cook (64%) and eating something new (62%). Other key findings in the survey included: 56% of people would consider eating food made by a robot if it tasted good 54% feel that images are more influential than text when looking at a menu and deciding what to eat 64% of people have visited a pop-up restaurant/experience in the past year 21% eat breakfast out more than they used to, while among those that are eating out more than they used to, this increases to 43% 75% would consider taking a smaller portion size, with 36% believing this would enable them to eat a healthier or lighter meal. However, a fifth of respondents said it would leave room to try another smaller plate of something else 83% are willing to pay more for their food if it benefits society, although 68% would expect it to be no more than 10% on top of their total bill 49% want to see nutritional information on the menu and 42% want to see provenance of the food and ingredients on the menu as well 58% would be more likely to visit a restaurant because of a famous chef or founder Jon Blakeney, group managing director at I-AM, said: “Consumers are increasingly searching for more novel and highly experimental experiences with food and drink that they can’t produce at home. The last decade has seen pop-up dining emerge as a key format to shake up the dining industry. Whether through the supper clubs, interesting food stands or exclusive entertainment experiences, pop-up dining has paved the way for dining to happen in more unexpected spaces. “Now a matured format, new dining experiences are embedding themselves into culture with more permanent restaurants and other eateries in places like gyms and shops which are being managed by new players, offering their audiences targeted experiences through brand extensions.”