Dinner at home is the new trend for British shoppers this Valentine's Day
Among those celebrating Valentine's Day this year, the majority of shoppers (68%) are planning to eat at home, according to new shopper insights from research charity IGD. Over a quarter of shoppers (26%) are planning to cater for a specific dietary requirement or preference. Of these, 10% are planning to cater for a vegetarian and 5% for a vegan. This is followed by 4% who will be having a dairy-free meal, 3% gluten-free and 3% sugar-free.
"During key seasonal events such as Valentine's Day, there is a significant opportunity for products and recipes that cater to specific requirements. Whilst vegetarian and vegan options remain the most popular, there is also a demand for sugar-free choices. Retailers and manufacturers are responding to this interest with new product launches including M&S' heart-shaped 'beet burger'", explained IGD's Shopper Insight Manager Nicola Ball.
Of those planning to celebrate the occasion, a quarter (25%) claim they or their partner will cook an evening meal from scratch and 13% plan to buy a supermarket meal deal, such as a dine in for two meal offer. Those with children are more likely to be planning on celebrating Valentine's Day with a supermarket meal deal, with 17% opting for this compared to 9% of those without children.
The study revealed that meal for two 'dine in' offers continue to be a popular option at this time of the year, with a wide range of choice across the market: "The popularity of supermarket meal deal mechanics, especially amongst families, reflects shoppers' desire for both convenience and value, even during special occasions. In the current economic climate, shoppers remain cautious and are looking for ways to save money, so these options enable savvy shoppers to treat themselves but in an affordable way. With 47% of shoppers saying they look out for promotions during seasonal events we know that price is a key factor in driving product choice, and this year we're seeing a focus on retailers communicating discounts and offers", added Nicola.
According to the insight, in five to ten years the landscape of British grocery is going to change, offering an expanded range of meal kits for shoppers and providing a more convenient option than cooking from scratch along with new opportunities for experimentation than ready prepared meals.
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