Katie Campbell, Paris Office, Bord Bia – Irish Food Board
As highlighted in a previous Bord Bia Food Alert from January, the average French consumer spends 68% more on takeaway foods today than they did 12 years ago.
In terms of snacking, the French consumer spends €177 on average per year, in third place after the UK (€447) and Spain (€191). And although trends suggest that the French are eating out less than their counterparts in other countries, figures show that they spend more per purchase. The average shopping basket in France is worth €3.57 compared to €2.04 in the UK and less than one euro in Portugal (€0.93).
In terms of out-of-home food consumption, the average number of visits and spend per person has increased slightly in the first quarter compared to the same period in 2017. Insights from NPD show that quick-service restaurants have seen a rise of 1% in the number of visits and 1.6% in the average spend.
According to Snacking magazine in France, the biggest trends in the quick-service restaurant and snacking markets are the push towards fair-trade, healthy and sustainable foods. 79% of French consumers wish that they could find more fair-trade products when eating out, and 75% take into consideration where products are made (+13 points in one year). In terms of sustainability, 50% of consumers place importance on whether or not an animal product is free-range. Other important factors are organic products (45%) and foods without additives or preservatives (42%). Healthy foods continue to grow in popularity, reflected in the 18% growth in the number of healthy food outlets and a 23% increase in turnover in two years. Furthermore, 12% of fast-casual outlets have a “100% healthy” theme.
These trends echo the ‘Responsible Living’ and ‘Health & Wellbeing’ Consumer Lifestyle Trends identified by Bord Bia in its research to identify the biggest trends shaping people’s lives over the next 3-5 years.
For more information contact katie.campbell@bordbia.ie
