7th June 2019
Meal skipping common across the globe
When it comes to the topic of health and wellness, consumer attitudes tend not to manifest in actual behaviour. The importance of a structured diet is no exception to this rule. Indeed, consumers say that they are trying to improve their health and recognize the importance of a balanced diet. However, research shows that consumers are prone to skipping meals on a regular basis.
A total of three in ten consumers (30%) say that they do not eat breakfast seven days a week. Meanwhile, a total of 19% of consumers say that they skip breakfast at least three times a week in the average week.
Lunch time patterns are similar, with 33% of consumers saying that they do not eat lunch seven days a week and 19% saying that they miss an afternoon meal three times a week in the average week.
Dinner is less likely to be skipped by consumers, with 79% of consumers saying that they eat dinner every day of the week and 13% saying that they skip dinner at least three times in the average week.
The tendency to skip meals is something that has a direct impact on snacking occasions. It is also something that has a direct impact on obesity rates, with informal eating occasions making it more difficult to monitor and control nutritional intake. Whilst there is much focus on on-the-go consumption and positioning products around time saving and convenience, brands should also focus on encouraging consumes not to skip meals because of the associated health implications.
Data based on 25,000 respondents surveyed Q4 2018