Average spend on eating out set to rise

British consumers' growing appetite for eating outside the home shows no sign of being sated, according to new research by analyst Datamonitor.

The study found that consumers in Britain spend an average of £1,224 a year on eating and drinking out, and this is set to climb to £1,335 by 2010.

It places consumers in Britain second only to Italy in Europe, where an average of £1,265 per person is spent on dining out.

Datamonitor forecasts that this trend means 5.2 billion extra breakfasts, lunches, evening meals and snacks will be devoured outside the home in Britain in 2010 compared with 2005.

Increasingly consumers now eat only when hungry, with a third of British consumers skipping breakfast altogether on a regular basis.

Only 5% of those surveyed view the act of eating out as a special occasion.

Another emerging trend highlighted in the report is that people are consuming smaller portions but more frequently.

Mathew Adams, author of the report, said: "Eating out-of-home is still driven by a lack of time but consumers now expect more than just convenience. Key trends to pick up on will be the need for ‘easy health wins' by incorporating fortified products, more freshness and enhanced ingredients."

By Chris Druce

Get your copy of Caterer and Hotelkeeper every week -