Despite the Nation’s long-standing love of English Breakfast tea, new research reveals ahead of National Tea Day on 21 April, that Brits are moving away from tradition with over half (55%) opting for a herbal like green tea or Rooibos, or other leaf-based teas like Earl Grey, as their preferred choice of blend. The findings, based on 2086 consumers, come just three weeks before the King’s Coronation and marks a shift away from the Traditional English Breakfast tea which has always been widely regarded as the UK’s hot favourite, accounting for 85% of sales in 2019 according to a Unilever report. This year’s research into Brits’ tea drinking habits by global tea specialists, The Tea Group.

more »

A new opinion poll by the UK’s mindful drinking movement, Club Soda, has revealed fresh insight into the nation’s drinking habits and attitudes to alcohol-free drinks. 2,000 UK adults were surveyed by Opinium on behalf of Club Soda. Their answers revealed: o Whilst 1 in 5 (19%) respondents said they never drink alcohol, half (52%) said they drink alcohol at least once a week, with more than one in ten (12%) drinking four or more times a week. Men drink alcohol more often than women (62% against 41% at least once a week). o Of those who did drink alcohol-free drinks, 72% said reducing their alcohol consumption in some way was the principal reason. Other common reasons given for drinking alcohol-free drinks were “to enjoy the taste of an alcoholic drink without getting drunk” (33%).

more »

This Veganuary, plant-based champions and brunch experts, Strong Roots, has commissioned the ultimate report to unpack the nation’s love of brunch – from favourite dishes and rising trends to what Brits want more – and less – of! Their research revealed that brunch is firmly here to stay, with 46% of people agreeing that it is their favourite meal of the weekend – and almost half (49%) saying they couldn’t imagine missing brunch on the weekend. However, with 56% saying they are now eating brunch at home more often to avoid the cost of dining out, Brits are looking for ways to elevate their at-home mid-morning meals. Over 40% of Brits are trying to eat more plant-based meals this Veganuary.

more »

Turkey, roast potato and stuffing combine to make the perfect Christmas dinner forkful, according to new national research. The study, conducted by online food ordering app, Foodhub, chewed over the nation’s festive foodie favourites ahead of this Christmas. When asked which three ingredients combine to make the perfect forkful of Christmas dinner, Turkey (42%) roast potato (35%) and stuffing (30%) came out on top, with pigs in blankets (28%) missing out on the favoured mouthful. Last year, Foodhub’s research discovered roast potato was the king of the Christmas dinner, with 57% opting for roasties as their favourite element. However, the spud has been knocked off top spot this year.

more »

The classic cheese toastie has been named the UK’s favourite sandwich, according to new national research. The study, conducted by online food ordering app Foodhub, chewed over the nation’s sandwich habits in celebration of National Sandwich Day on 3 November. In a closely fought contest, the cheese toastie knocked previous winner – the all-conquering bacon butty - off top spot. Rounding off the top three is the classic cheese sandwich. The result does mean some hugely popular classics missed out on a top 3 placing -the famous sausage sandwich, prawn mayo sandwich and egg mayo sandwich all failed to dent the nation’s top three. UK’s favourite sandwich: 1. CHEESE TOASTIE (8%) 2.

more »

While a glass of red or a G&T might seem enticing, according to new research from Mintel, half (48%) of British tea lovers say they sometimes drink tea as an alternative to alcohol—proving the enduring appeal of a cup of char. It is Millennial tea lovers (aged 26-41) who are the most likely generation to make the switch, as 55% of these consumers are sometimes ditching booze for a cuppa; while just 44% of those aged 65 and over sometimes make this swap. Overall, half (49%) of all Brits agree that tea is a good alternative to an alcoholic drink. As the cost of living crisis continues, Mintel research reveals that a posh cuppa is proving to be a viable luxury, as two-thirds (64%) of those swapping alcohol for tea believe that high-quality teas are an affordable treat.

more »

The annual Good Food Nation survey from BBC Good Food has revealed the extent of the changes people across the UK are making to their shopping, cooking and eating habits to try to save money in the face of cost of living increases. The key findings from the 2022 Good Food Nation report, which surveyed 2005 adults and 1007 children (aged 5 to 16), has revealed a large proportion of respondents making extensive changes in order to cut costs. The rising cost of energy bills has had an impact with 23% saying they use the oven and hob less, and microwave more (21%) for cooking. There are also changes in the type of things people cook as 19% claim to use quicker to cook ingredients and also look for speedy recipes to save on energy use.

more »

Consumer fears over climate change have escalated around the globe over the last year. According to new research from the 2022 Mintel Consulting Sustainability Barometer, the number of global consumers citing climate change as a top three environmental concern has risen from an average of 39% to 46% between 2021-22*. In addition to climate change, concern over water shortages (up from 27% in 2021 to 31% in 2022) and food shortages (up from 17% to 23%) have made the most significant gains in terms of environmental priorities in the past 12 months as extreme weather events and the conflict in Ukraine make these troubling realities more commonplace. Climate change remains the world’s highest environmental priority with nearly half (46%) of consumers globally citing it among their top three concerns.

more »

The roast lunch/dinner has been elevated to Royal status as almost a third (32%) of the country says it will be tucking into the classic dish to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee over the June bank holiday. The popular British dish has been crowned the UK’s favourite food for those looking to celebrate all special occasions this year, according to national research. The study, conducted by the innovative food tech company, Foodhub, investigated the UK’s go-to foods to enjoy when celebrating special occasions. Almost a third of Brits (32%) crowned the roast as their meal of choice for a celebration, with pizza following behind as one fifth (20%) chose the cheesy treat, with a Chinese meal rounding off the top three taking 17% of the vote.

more »

A nationwide cost of living index published today names Lichfield, Staffordshire as the city where people must work the longest to afford a Greggs sausage roll. InvestingReviews.co.uk commissioned senior independent economist John Hawksworth to carry out the study of 100 cities and towns across Great Britain, measuring the amount of time a typical full-time employee has to work to afford a takeaway sausage roll from the famous bakery. He found the hardest earned sausage rolls were in Lichfield (4mins and 54secs) followed in joint second by Middlesbrough, Nuneaton, Truro and Hereford (all 4 mins and 48secs). People in those towns typically had to work around 65% longer than more affluent Londoners to afford their sausage roll.

more »

Steak and Kidney pie has been named the UK’s most popular savoury pie according to new national research. Analysts from Foodhub, one of the UK’s leading online food ordering platforms, researched orders placed via the app and website to determine the nation’s pie eating habits ahead of National Pie Day (January 23rd). Steak and Kidney was the most popular savoury pie ordered throughout 2021, accounting for 11.3% of overall pie orders. This was followed narrowly behind by the classic Chicken and Mushroom with 11.2% and Steak rounding off the top three (9%). However, whilst Steak and Kidney was king of the savoury pies, the UK’s sweet tooth meant it was the humble Apple Pie, which was named the nation’s most popular sweet treat overall.

more »

People are prioritising their health more, which includes moderating their alcohol intake. New research has found that the majority of UK millennials (78%), equivalent to over 25 million individuals, feel pressure to drink in social situations. In recent years, the UK’s drinking culture has shifted towards moderate drinking, led by a 10million3 strong movement of individuals – The Gen Free generation. Last year, one in five UK drinkers (20%) intended to take part in Dry January (Alcohol Change). This year, Atopia’s research showed that this has increased to 26%, an equivalent of 1.95 million more Brits. This jumps to four in 10 (41%) in London, showing that those in the capital are determined to hang up their hangovers this month and go Dry for January.

more »

UK drinkers increasingly choose low and no alcohol products all year round and not just for Dry January, the fourth annual online study YouGov commissioned by the Portman Group has found. Almost one in three (32%) UK drinkers now ‘semi-regularly’ consume low and no alcohol products compared to one in four (25%) in 2020. Furthermore, a fifth (20%) of those who have tried low and no alcohol say they are more likely to drink these products now compared to a year ago, almost double the number saying this in last year’s survey (11%). Despite COVID-19 restrictions, the most popular reason for consumers who have tried low and no alcohol to drink these products continues to be ‘being able to drive home from social events’ (chosen by 33% of respondents).

more »

Nearly one-fifth (16%) of consumers now list the environment as their main motivator for healthy and sustainable eating – a significant increase from 2020 – while more than three-quarters (77%) have increased, or are thinking about increasing, their fruit and vegetable intake, according to the latest results from the Appetite for Change research series from IGD. The latest data shows UK consumers are increasingly looking to adopt more healthy and sustainable diets, with 58% open to changing their eating habits (up from 57% in 2020). The research, drawn from 1,368 UK consumers during July 2021, also found there has been a rise in people eating meat only twice a week or less, 39% compared to 34% in 2020.

more »

Sustainability is high on people agendas and COVID-19 and the climate emergency have increased this. New findings from the latest Organic Shopper Research 2021 reveals that 71% of respondents have become more concerned about the environment. Customers are predominantly choosing organic for reasons associated with health and the environment, although animal welfare is also important. Two-thirds want to know more about where the ingredients in their food come from and that it is safe. Key findings from the research: • 79% of people say they are increasingly worried about the natural world and our impact on it • 81% of people are worried about excess packaging and waste materials • 86% would like their food to be produced in a more natural way without excess processing and chemicals • 84% said that trust in food manufacturers and retailers is really important to them • 77% said they want to make more sustainable choices in the products they buy • 71% want to make more ethical choices in the products they buy By joining the dots between sustainability and the environment we can connect people’s focus on their health.

more »

Cinema popcorn, hotel mini bars, and alcohol are among the top items British consumers deem to be the most overpriced, according to a new report. Leading?savings site VoucherCodes.co.uk has published its Overpriced Index, which details the products and services UK consumers believe to have the most over-inflated prices. The full report also looks at the impact ‘the pink tax’, Brexit, Coronavirus, and gentrification have had on the cost of living and the overall price of certain products. Despite cinemas being closed for over a year, popcorn purchased at the silver screen tops the list of the most overly expensive products. Other cinema treats such as hot dogs, drinks and sweets, are second on the list followed closely by convenience drinks and snacks from a hotel mini bar.

more »

A third of Brits use plant-based milk, up from a quarter in 2020. 50% of adults agree people's milk choices make a difference to the environment. Usage of clotted cream almost doubled between 2020-21. Oat milk has quickly become the plant-based milk of choice, according to the latest research from Mintel, as sales of the trendy, non-dairy substitute almost doubled between 2019-20. Brits spent a hearty £146m on oat milk in 2020, up from £74m in 2019. By contrast, consumers spent £105m on almond milk in 2020 compared to £96m in 2019, resulting in oat overtaking almond to become the nation’s number one selling vegan milk. This comes as total spend on plant-based milk* reached £394m in 2020, increasing 32% from 2019 when it was worth £298m.

more »

Out of all UK regions, residents of Northern Ireland devote the biggest proportion of their food shop to sweet treats – spending 23 percent more than London and Yorkshire on the Humber, the areas which spend the least on sugary food and drink. The study, conducted by commercial kitchen experts Maxima Kitchen Equipment, used new ONS data on household spending between 2018 and 2020, to discover the areas which spend the most on sweet food and drink, as well as meat, fruit and vegetables, and alcohol. Scotland, the North-East and the West Midlands are the UK’s second most sweet-obsessed regions, spending 15% more than London and Yorkshire on sweet drinks, chocolate, ice-cream and other confectionary.

more »

Meat eaters who engage in campaigns such as Meat Free Monday (MFM) over a longer period of time are more likely to change their diet to become vegan or vegetarian, according to a new study by Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) and MFM. More than 30% of those who engaged with the programme for five years or more stopped eating meat. The MFM campaign aims to encourage and support people to reduce their meat consumption by having a plant-based day every week. The benefits of this include helping to slow climate change, conserving natural resources and improving people’s health. Paul McCartney, co-founder of MFM, said, “By skipping animal products one day a week, the environmental impact is substantial.

more »

Almost one in two UK households (48%) admit that they eat their dinner in front of the TV instead of sitting around a table – and one in ten confess to having meals in bed during lockdown - according to new research from Bakkavor a leading provider of fresh prepared foods in the UK. After almost 15 months of mandatory stay-at-home rules, Bakkavor asked a representative sample of 2,000 adults where they had tended to eat their evening meal in the last few months. Only 20% of respondents said they actually sat down together for dinner and had a family conversation most evenings. Sitting on the sofa for dinner proved far more popular (39%) and, despite a year away from the office, many still have their evening meal while working.

more »