Research/Insight

It seems as though QR codes have been heralded as the next frontier of marketing for years. But research from Canadean Consumer showed that they are still barely used. Despite nine in 10 having noticed them – and 22% of consumers claiming to see them on packaging “regularly” – fewer than one in five has ever scanned them using their phone.

It seems as though QR codes have been heralded as the next frontier of marketing for years. But research from Canadean Consumer showed that they are still barely used. Despite nine in 10 having noticed them – and 22% of consumers claiming to see them on packaging “regularly” – fewer than one in five has ever scanned them using their phone.

Emma Nourry, trade marketing manager at SCA for the Lotus Professional brand, discusses how food service staff can maintain good hand hygiene levels when handling money around food, and how catering outlets can help to ensure the best levels of hygiene for their customers. Limiting contact between money and food

Italian Gelateria, ‘Gelato Gusto’, opened just before Easter in the heart of Brighton’s North Laine. Adams said: “Opening Gelato Gusto was a complete career change – the result of the creativity of my designer background (a career I enjoyed prior to my TV work) combined with my great fondness for a much-loved ice cream parlour in L’Escala Costa Brava.  

Two leading market analysts have given juices and smoothies a glowing forecast for future growth. Keynote says the fruit juice sector weathered the storm of the recession and was worth £4.1bn in 2010, up 6% year on year – a great result following the 4.3% fall during 2009, which it believes was because people were tightening their purse strings in the tough economic environment and looking at cheaper alternatives to fruit juice.

The mantra that everyone shouts is ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’ and research backs this statement. As analysts such as Mintel estimate that breakfast sales in restaurants increased by 4.1% last year, more operators are looking at this lucrative market and the competition is rising. For example Greggs the high street baker-cum-coffee shop chain has increased the range of breakfast products it offers and has been heavily promoting meal deals, with sausage and bacon breakfast rolls featuring strongly.

The Christmas and New Year celebrations are over and consumers concerned about their waistlines are taking more interest in ‘better for you’ products to counterbalance the excesses of the festive season. From WeightWatchers to the new fangled Dukan diet taken up by Brits means menus are coming under close scrutiny.

Coffee, tea and cocoa have all felt the effects of the sharp rise in commodity prices. For the moment the status quo on coffee and cocoa is that prices have stabilised and the threat of rising prices have abated. However the pundits predict the cost of tea could rise by as much as 7% next year due to a predicted drought in Kenya and increased consumption worldwide. These forecasts, combined with the recession, have luckily not affected consumers’ habit of having their daily cuppas out of home.

Despite the recession affecting consumer spending, there has been no let up in soft drink consumption. It’s one of their must-haves but there is still a need to offer good choice and value for money.