Takeaway Britain
Spending on deliveries to triple to £7bn a year as we all cook less
THEY were once something to look forward to as a Saturday night treat.
But takeaways are taking over as the norm for many of us – with spending on home-delivered food expected to more than treble by 2020.
Long working hours and the fact that both parents work in many families mean we are doing less cooking.
Spending on delivered takeaway food is set to rise from £2billion in 2015 to £7.6billion by 2020, according to research by business advisers AlixPartners.
The trend follows a similar one in America, where ordering takeaway food during the working week is already commonplace in many cities.
And it does not simply mean there will be a boom for traditional takeaway chains such as pizza shops, curry houses and Chinese restaurants.
Much of the growth will be fuelled by the fact that more high street chains and top restaurants where previously you could only eat in have started offering takeaways through specialist delivery services such as UberEats, Deliveroo and now Amazon.
There also appears to be growing demand for healthy takeout options as those looking for convenience do not want to have to settle for unhealthy fast food, ready meals, and the calorific pizzas and curries that have dominated the takeaway market. Ironically, the trend comes at a time when millions sit down to watch the Great British Bake Off, Nigella and Saturday Morning Kitchen, which suggests home cooking is increasingly seen as a hobby rather than a daily essential.
AlixPartners said restaurants will need to invest in technology, such as online ordering, to cash in on the change in eating habits.
Its consumer research found 53 per cent of diners in the UK think it is important restaurants offers online ordering. Fifty-six per cent felt healthy options were important and 48 per cent wanted loyalty programmes, providing discounts and perks.
The study also found that Britons are cost-conscious and do not want to spend more than £14 per head when eating out – a figure expected to remain largely the same through to 2020.
Paul Hemming, managing director at AlixPartners, said: ‘As home delivery services and eating in grows in popularity, less is being spent on convenience and fast food meals.
‘This has significant implications for restaurant companies and the way in which they operate.
‘Restaurant chains will need to keep up with the evolving technological needs of diners to ensure they stay ahead of more innovative competitors.
‘Technology will continue to play a major role in the expectations of the modern diner. The real challenge will be for restaurant operators to keep up to speed with their customers’ needs to ultimately produce a higher quality offering for less.’
As well as its new food delivery service, Amazon also has a home hub system, Echo, which allows people to use the internet via a virtual reality assistant called Alexa and even lets them order a takeaway by voice command.