The UK food market

Résumé du document

The population of UK is set to increase by over 2 million to almost 62 million over the next 10 years. Increased life expectancy and declining birth rates are leading to an increasingly elderly population and this trend is set to continue as the large numbers of 'baby boomers' reach retirement age. Eventually there will be fewer people of working age, which will impact on the Government's ability to provide a state pension for the increasing numbers of retired people. For those unable to make alternative provision, retirement may therefore also mean becoming accustomed to a substantially reduced disposable income. Furthermore, an increasing number of people will enter retirement without dependents or partners, and this will lead to an increase in the numbers of elderly people living alone. And as those people become unable to manage on their own, the need for residential care will increase. This is about to have an impact on food consumption in the country.

As fewer and fewer people choose to marry or settle with a partner, or do so at a later age, and more of those who do marry divorce each other, the number of younger adults living alone will also increase, although this will be balanced in part by the number of young adults forced to remain living at home with parents, due to the predicted shortage of affordable housing, particularly in rural areas.

In 2001, it was analyzed that spending on food is rarely sacrificed for other spending, except in very low-income households. However, as disposable income increases, so do both expenditure and consumption. There is a limit to consumption of course, but even when this limit is reached, per capita expenditure on food continues to increase with disposable income levels. In other words, with increasing wealth, people not only choose to eat more, but also choose more expensive food. Even so, wealthier households spend a smaller proportion of their disposable income on food than the less well off, as their increasing wealth allows them to spend more on other luxuries.

With increasing affluence and a relatively stable economy over recent years, the UK has seen the shift take place in food purchasing patterns towards increasingly expensive food items rather than the more ordinary. However, food expenditure as a proportion of overall expenditure has decreased to less than 10%. According to a recent study, people in the UK spend less of their disposable income on food than any other European country.

Keywords: food rationing UK, whole food market, organic food market, Restaurant, famous UK food brands, Wholesale food market.

Extraits

[...] Of course, if you're here or almost anywhere in Britain or Europe, you don't have to identify it as scotch whisky when you order. That's what you'll get. In fact, in some parts of Scotland, England, and Wales, they look at you oddly if you order scotch as you would in the States. The true difference in the scotch whiskies you may have become accustomed to seeing on bars or shelves of liquor stores at home is whether they're blends or single-malt whiskies. Many connoisseurs prefer single malts, whose tastes depend on their points of origin: Highlands, Lowlands, Islay, or Campbeltown on Kintyre. [...]

[...] Today, the Irish people are increasingly adopting dishes from western cuisine. British Breakfasts and Afternoon Tea Britain is famous for its enormous breakfast of bacon, eggs, grilled tomato, and fried bread. Some places have replaced this cholesterol festival with a continental breakfast, but you'll still find the traditional morning meal available. Kipper, or smoked herring, is also a popular breakfast dish. The finest come from the Isle of Man, Whitby, or Loch Fyne, in Scotland. The herrings are split open, placed over oak chips, and slowly cooked to produce a nice pale-brown smoked fish. [...]

[...] This was 1.1 percent more than the UK average for all households. In comparison, Asian HRP households spent 14.92 per person per week which was 37 percent less than the UK average. When it comes to eating out, Chinese and other HRP households purchased the highest quantities of Indian, Chinese or Thai meals, as well as fish and fish products. Asian HRP purchased the highest quantities of cheese and egg dishes and pizza whilst mixed HRP purchased the most soft drinks including milk. [...]

[...] For the dessert, it is to mention Welsh cakes made with currants. Oat biscuits are another treat, much like the oatmeal cookies you may have had back home. Desserts (puddings they're called here, whatever their form) seem to be mainly fruit crumbles blackberry, apple, what have you topped with custard and/or thick cream. Cheese, leek and bacon Welsh cake Specific cuisine in Ireland Lots of Irish dishes include potatoes in their recipes such as the calconnon or the champ. Among several traditional dishes there are the Irish Stew made with mutton and the Boxty which is a kind of potatoe pancake. [...]

[...] In 2001 growth was only - the smallest growth rate of any fast food or takeaway sub-sector. This is thought to be attributable to consumers' perceptions of fish and chips being a high fat meal and perhaps not a trendy option for younger generations. The pizza market is stable and has been helped by some new menu ideas, but there has been some rationalisation of this sub-sector, leaving fewer players. Outlets in leisure venues, retail parks and transport terminals have helped sales. [...]