Food is fundamentally one of the most important things to humans. Lockdowns have reshaped the ways in which we consume food, with most people having found the time to cook more, and others getting carried away by takeaways. These changes in habits have had a profound impact on food-providing companies – some have welcomed splurges from customers, while others are in desperate need of a life-support system, such as “Eat Out to Help Out.”
1) More cooking at home
According to Tesco, it’s estimated that around 20% of the British population cook their own meals from scratch, compared to 12.5% before the emergence of the pandemic. A wide range of demographics have been refining their culinary skills, from teenagers to reluctant middle-aged chefs, and the Italian cuisine tends to be the most frequently cooked.
2) Less eating out
Firms in the UK restaurant market have faced a catastrophic reduction in sales by 60%, despite the population’s desires to sit down at the local pizzeria, and order to their heart’s content. If anything, COVID-19 has taught us that these businesses are extremely fragile, and rely heavily on consumer demand. Due to health concerns, some may opt for a lifestyle less dependent on them in the post-pandemic world, but others’ eating-out withdrawal symptoms are too hard to overcome, as restaurants (at least used to be) hubs for social activity.
3) Home delivery
Undoubtedly, this method of shopping has been preferred as a safer way to receive groceries. The number of “home delivery” google searches spiked up during the dawn of coronavirus. However, the weekly panic of booking a slot has placed pressure on supermarkets, and Sainsbury’s even had to restrict online access in January 2021.
4) Dietary changes
This has been a mixed bag, as some have relied on snacking more, while others have had time to reflect and evaluate how healthy they are eating. Families on low incomes are especially threatened by the reliance on unhealthy quick-fixes such as frozen food or sugary snacks. This issue has been addressed many young activists including Christina Adane, who stated that "(she doesn’t) want us to be the victims of endless fast-food advertisement,” and her efforts have been supported by Marcus Rashford.
5) Eating later in the day
Although we have found more time for food, some of us still can’t resist procrastinating preparing lunch till 3pm on a Saturday, despite knowing that metabolism peaks between 10am and 2pm in the day.
6) Takeaways
Just Eat Takeaway’s revenue grew by 44% in the first half of 2020, and ordering food from restaurants to eat at home acts as a covid-secure compromise between eating in the comfort of your own home, and sparing your tastebuds from the monotonous home-cooked meals, however healthy they may be.
