A new consumer survey by market research company Canadean has found that shorter lunch times mean that one out of five (20%) of Irish consumers skip lunch almost every day.
As well as the 20% of consumers that skip lunch on a daily basis, almost half of those surveyed(44%) admitted to skipping lunch, a staple meal in their diets, at least twice during the working week.
Canadean believes that this study, which surveyed 1,000 adults, presents a fantastic opportunity for FMCG companies to bring convenient, tasty and comforting lunch options to the table.
Kirsty Nolan, an analyst with Canadean, says; “Nowadays, many busy employees who feel under pressure to meet their work commitments grab a quick bite at their desk, if anything at all. Even though this might initially sound like bad news, shorter lunch breaks actually present a huge opportunity for FMCG manufacturers to target busy consumers with convenient, fast and exciting options.”
Traditionally, manufacturers have paid a lot of attention to consumers skipping breakfast and have been constantly attempting to create the latest on-the-go breakfast solution. The morning goods category had a volume of 4.5 million kilograms in 2014 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 2.7% over the next five years, according to Canadean.
This is in stark contrast to the lunchtime goods category where the lunch box has remained largely untouched since the launch of Pot Noodles in the late 70s and Marks and Spencers' introduction of pre-packed sandwiches in 1980.
The survey reveals that six out of ten consumers in Ireland agree that convenient food can also be tasty while roughly the same number (62%) find food appealing that suits their needs for comfort.
“These results abolish some barriers that used to stand in the way of convenience food. The strategy to reignite the lunch time might lie in offering consumers a moment of comfort and relaxation with a fast and appetising lunch option,” Nolan concluded.
© 2015 - Checkout Magazine by Niall Swan
