Young generations seek alternative to eating out

The more consumer research the FSIN does, the more clearly it reveals that eating and drinking is of great importance to the youngest two generations. For them, food is much more than a functional form of belly filling. It is a way of coping with the - still increasing - agitation of life.

Agitation leads to an urgent need for indulgence among the Convenience generations. Indulgence is about letting your personal rules run wild. It is the emotional hunger for enjoyment and reward. Indulgence is the main reason for 'hybrid consumption behaviour': sometimes making responsible choices, but at other times 'going completely off the rails'. Convenience generations are constantly balancing between discipline on the one hand and enjoyment on the other. This characteristic food shopper behaviour will guide all channels in our sector in the coming years.

Generation Z and Millennials look for affordable alternatives to eating out

The big question on many people's minds at the moment is what the impact of skyrocketing inflation will be on spending. To what extent is downtrading lurking, will there be a buyers' strike in foodservice and is the elasticity of prices wearing off? What is certain is that the current energy crisis and expected recession are very different from 2008. Agitation and not feeling like and not having time to cook are much more ingrained in our society than they were back then. Convenience generations in particular will do a lot to maintain their lifestyle. Eating something out regularly and finding ways to de-stress are part of their way of life.

If prices stay this high and a recession sets in, the Convenience Generations will look for affordable alternatives to expensive eating out. Because it is precisely among younger generations that awareness has grown that eating out is too expensive, this FSIN FoodShopper Monitor shows. Moreover, young people are better at downtrading than older generations. The battle for share of stomach between foodservice and food retail is therefore intensifying. For the food sector, it is essential to create eating and drinking moments that satisfy an emotional hunger for enjoyment and reward. Keeping out-of-home enjoyment moments and convenience solutions affordable is the big challenge facing the sector in 2023.

Fsin.nl