In 2017 we saw a drastic increase in convenience foods such as food to go and “mindful” snacking with a big advancement in healthier foods. Here we summarise the main trends hypothesised for 2018 summarised from Mintel, Forbes and retailer predictions.
Health and wellbeing: Especially in the food to go section, there is a huge drive for healthier options (influenced largely by instagram and social media). Within this, vegan and vegetarian options have become the norm in many restaurants/cafes as well as free from ranges vastly increasing in size. The rise in plant protein is set to continue, as well as energy boosting snacks and the flexitarian diet.
Changing lifestyles and cultures: Due to changing lifestyles in the UK, there is a change away from the traditional 3 meals per day (with a definite increase in people adding a fourth meal to the day), more snacking (including snacking boxes and high protein snacks) and less “sit down” meals and more eating on the go.
Location experimentation- The move away of shopping in the basic retailers, with other locations becoming popular such as petrol stations, gyms and workplaces. An increase in delivery options is also expecting, with popular fast food chains such as Greggs and Subway considering delivery options. With less and less people doing a big weekly shop, we could say goodbye to the trusted trolley.
Multiculturalism - the wide variety of food types people consume is set to continue, with a rise in Japanese cuisine and Indian Street food, say Waitrose.