The study found that 25-34 year olds are least likely to eat lunch on a daily basis, with less than half (49%) saying that they eat an afternoon meal seven days a week. When asked why they do not eat lunch seven days a week, 46% answered “I don’t always feel hungry at lunchtime” and 26% said “I don’t have time to eat lunch every day”.
The tendency not to feel hungry at lunch time can be attributed to the rise in snacking occasions, with 24% of British adults saying that they prefer to snack throughout the day than to eat lunch.
Time-scarcity is also impacting where consumers eat lunch and what they choose to eat. 14% of UK adults say that they eat lunch on-the-go at least once a week, trying to combine lunch with other activities. When it comes to deciding what to eat for lunch, consumers tend to prioritise food that is “easy to eat” (38%) over “health considerations” (33%) and “what is available at-home” (53%) over “what is the tastiest” (48%).
Florin Ivan, research manager at Canadean, said: “time-scarcity is impacting on lunch-time occasions, with people either prone to skipping lunch or trying to facilitate their busy lifestyles by eating whilst doing other activities. Convenience is king at lunch-time, with consumers willing to compromise on taste and health in favour of food that is quick to prepare and readily available.
“Whilst consumers may feel that they are managing their busy lifestyles by adopting such lunchtime regimes, it could have long-term implications on their health.”