Weekday Meal Repertoire Results from Omnibus research - February 2007 Prepared by The Oxford Partnership for The British Potato Council
Introduction and background In 2006 The Oxford Partnership was commissioned by The British Potato Council to research the concept of household s meal repertoire the concept that there are a certain number of meals that are regularly prepared and cooked by households The research increased our understanding of repertoires, their composition, how meals are added to and drop off the list, and differences by lifestage Further research was commissioned to establish, through a robust sample size, a more accurate picture of weekday meal repertoires. This document summarises the findings from this research The research consisted of questions in a weekly TNS Omnibus survey amongst principal shoppers. The fieldwork took place from 8 th to the 12 th December 2006 with a sample of 1371 geographically spread across the country The research followed the guidelines laid down by the Market Research Society
Questions asked I am now going to ask you some questions about the evening meals you cook most often during the week, and the carbohydrates you usually have with these meals. It is important you realise that I am talking about meals that you or another member of your family either prepares from scratch or prepares using ready-made ingredients, sauces, etc. I am not talking about ready-meals (i.e. all in one meals that are bought frozen or chilled and heated in the oven or microwave without needing any other preparation) or take-aways. It s not just the type of meal I m interested in, it s the main ingredient and whether you have prepared it from scratch or using ready-made ingredients (such as jar of sauce etc) Q1 - I would like you to tell me the four main meals you cook most often during the week. Q2 - Which, if any, of the following carbohydrates would you normally have with each of these meals list shown Q3 - Which of the following lifestages most accurately describes your household Q4 - Which supermarket do you visit most often for your family shopping
Sample profile GENDER AGE SOCIAL GROUP Male 35% 55+ 38% 16-34 24% DE 2 AB 24% Female 65% 35-54 38% C2 20% C1 30% LOCATION LIFESTAGE South 42% North 33% Retired 2 Other 3% Pre-family Younger family 21% Midlands 25% Empty Nesters 1 Older family 22%
Overall summary
The top twenty meals Pasta Chicken unpec. Fish Roast unpsec. Spaghetti Bolognese Roast Chicken Sausages Stew/Cass unspec. Steak Chicken curry Beef unspec. Curry other Mince Roast Beef Beef Stew/Casserole Pork Chops Pork unspec. Chicken Stew/Cass Lamb unspec. Chilli Beef 5% 5% 4% 13% 12% 24% 24% 22%
The top twenty meals - grouped Pasta Roast Fish Chicken Stew/Casserole Curry Sausages Steak Beef unspec. Mince Pork Chops Pork unspec. Stir fry Lamb unspec. Chilli Beef Lamb Chops Shepherd's Pie Bacon Pizza Soup 5% 4% 4% 4% 3% 3% 3% 18% 24% 22% 31% 3 42%
The top twenty named dishes Roast unspec. Spaghetti Bolognese Roast Chicken Sausages 13% 12% Steak Curry other Mince Chicken Curry Chicken Stew/Casserole Roast Beef Beef Stew/Casserole Pork Chops Roast Pork Chilli Beef Stir Fry Beef Bolognese Lamb Chops Sheperd's Pie Salmon Roast Lamb 3% 4% 4% 4% 4% 5% 5% 5% 8%
Carbohydrate normally consumed with meal - overall Potatoes 80% Pasta 39% Rice 38% Bread 23% Noodles
Top ten most popular weekday meals
No 1 meal - Pasta Boiled Mashed Roast Chips Wedges Other Pots Fresh Garlic bread 4% 9% 20% 38% 34% 40% 40% 24% 40% 34% 32% 18% 10% 64% 82% Pasta dishes are the most regular weekday meal for three lifestages Lifestage rank in Top 10 Pre-Family Young Family Older Family Empty Nesters 1st 1st 1st 2nd Retired 3rd
No 2 meal Chicken unspecified Boiled Mashed Roast Chips Wedges Other Pots Fresh Garlic bread 4% 8% 13% 38% 3 30% 34% 2 23% 4 40% 52% 8 Chicken dishes run a close second to pasta dishes Lifestage rank in Top 10 Pre-Family Young Family Older Family Empty Nesters 2nd 2nd 2nd 1st Retired 2nd
No 3 meal Fish Boiled Mashed Roast Chips Wedges Other Pots Fresh Garlic bread 1% 8% 5% 12% 31% 23% 21% 43% 38% 42% 38% 33% 59% 93% Moves up the ranking with lifestage Lifestage rank in Top 10 Pre-Family 4th Young Family 3rd Older Family 3rd Empty Nesters 3rd Retired 1st
No 4 meal Roast unspecified Boiled Mashed Roast Chips Wedges Other Pots Fresh Garlic bread 3% 14% 13% 23% 3 4 4 44% 3 28% 50% 78% 9 A core, mid ranking meal Lifestage rank in Top 10 Pre-Family 7th Young Family 5rd Older Family 4rd Empty Nesters 8th Retired 5th
No 5 meal Spaghetti Bolognese Boiled Mashed Roast Chips Wedges Other Pots Fresh Garlic bread 3% 10% 9% 1 1 43% 4 35% 2 25% 44% 40% 7 88% 90% Not so relevant to the older lifestages Lifestage rank in Top 10 Pre-Family Young Family Older Family Empty Nesters - 3rd 4th 5th Retired -
No 6 meal Roast Chicken Boiled Mashed Roast Chips Wedges Other Pots Fresh Garlic bread 12% 18% 13% 3% 33% 45% 51% 52% 41% 41% 3 75% 99% Highest in their top ten for empty nesters, lowest for retired Lifestage rank in Top 10 Pre-Family Young Family Older Family Empty Nesters 8th 6th 6th 5th Retired 10th
No 7 meal Sausages Boiled Mashed Roast Chips Wedges Other Pots Fresh Garlic bread 4% 5% 4% 13% 38% 30% 32% 29% 2 44% 40% 4 68% 9 A staple in the lower half of the top ten weekday meals Lifestage rank in Top 10 Pre-Family Young Family Older Family Empty Nesters 6th 7th 9th 6th Retired 6th
No 8 meal Stew/casserole Boiled Mashed Roast Chips Wedges Other Pots Fresh Garlic bread 45% 51% 1 3% 1 44% 32% 12% 38% 30% 23% 4% 9% 68% 9 Rises up the top ten through the lifestages Lifestage rank in Top 10 Pre-Family - Young Family Older Family Empty Nesters 9th 7th 4th Retired 4th
No 9 meal Steak Boiled Mashed Roast Chips Wedges Other Pots Fresh Garlic bread 21% 25% 1 10% 28% 22% 2 45% 35% 6 64% 9 Highest in their top ten for empty nesters, lowest for retired Lifestage rank in Top 10 Pre-Family Young Family Older Family Empty Nesters 8th 6th 6th 5th Retired 10th
No 10 meal Chicken Curry Boiled Mashed Roast Chips Wedges Other Pots Fresh Garlic bread 15% 0% 10% 9% 15% 34% 35% 40% 41% 32% 39% 7 75% 90% Like spaghetti Bolognese it has less appeal to the older lifestages Lifestage rank in Top 10 Pre-Family Young Family Older Family Empty Nesters - 10h 10th 8th Retired -
Most popular weekday meals by lifestage
The top ten meals pre family Pasta 39% Chicken unspecified 23% Spaghetti Bolognese Fish 1 1 Pasta dishes easily the most popular Other curry Sausages 12% Prepare fast and simple meals pasta, sausages, spag. bol, steak Roast unspec. Roast Chicken Carbohydrate with weekday meals Steak Chicken Curry 49% 50% 6 3
The top ten meals younger family Pasta 29% Chicken unspecified Fish 20% 2 Pasta dishes still the most popular Spaghetti Bolognese Roast unspec. 13% 18% Fish becoming more popular, curries dropping a little Roast Chicken Sausages Other curry 12% 12% 10% Casseroles now on the list Carbohydrate with weekday meals Stew/Casserole unspec. Chicken Curry 9% 8% 4 4 79% 22%
The top ten meals older family Pasta 24% Chicken unspecified Fish 1 23% Pasta dishes still number one - just Roast unspec. Spaghetti Bolognese 15% 14% Roast meals becoming more popular Roast Chicken 14% Stew/Casserole unspec. 12% Chicken Curry 9% Carbohydrate with weekday meals Sausages 9% 85% Roast beef 8% 40% 50% 2 10%
The top ten meals empty nesters Chicken unspecified Pasta 22% 23% Chicken has overtaken pasta - just Fish Stew/Casserole unspec. 13% 21% Stew/casseroles rising in popularity Roast Chicken Sausages 12% 12% Spaghetti Bolognese has dropped out of the top ten Beef stew/cass Roast unspec. Steak Pork chops 10% 9% Carbohydrate with weekday meals 82% 35% 3 21% 9%
The top ten meals retired Fish 32% Chicken unspecified Pasta Stew/Casserole unspec. 14% 14% 2 Fish is now the most popular meal, pasta having dropped to third Roast unspec. Sausages 13% Tendency toward more traditional types of meal Pork unspec. Steak Beef unspec. Roast Chicken 10% 9% 8% 8% Carbohydrate with weekday meals 82% 20% 2 1 3%
Pointers
Carbohydrate accompaniment through the lifestages PRE-FAMILY YOUNGER FAMILY OLDER FAMILY 6 79% 85% 49% 4 50% 50% 4 40% 3 22% 2 10% OLDER FAMILY RETIRED 82% 82% 35% 20% 3 2 21% 9% 3% 1 Confirmation that if habits remain similar through the lifestages, potatoes will become comparatively less important
Top 20 weekday meals - red for warning Pasta Chicken unspec. Fish Roast unspec. Spaghetti Bolognese Roast Chicken Sausages Stew/Cass unspec. Steak Chicken curry Beef unspec. Curry other Mince Roast Beef Beef Stew/Casserole Pork Chops Pork unspec. Chicken Stew/Cass Lamb unspec. Chilli Beef 5% 5% 4% 13% 12% 24% 24% 22% Meals not usually associated with potatoes Meals that could be accompanied with either potatoes or other carbohydrate Meals usually associated with potatoes Six of the top 10 and nine of the top 20 most popular weekday meals are traditionally potatoes heartland Three of the top 10 and five of the top 20 are not! With one out of the top 10 and six of the top 20 to fight for
The original strategy suggestion still holds good 1 2 DEFEND stronghold ATTACK competitors Traditional meals such as the roast, fish and chips and bangers and mash are potatoes heartland Attack the carbohydrate competitors rice and pasta dishes are now a firm part of the top ten 3 REPEL raiders Areas of historic strength are being undermined by faster more convenient more contemporary options chicken in sauce with rice, pasta with a cheese sauce etc Develop the offer innovate through solutions not products
Potential campaign targets CHICKEN YOUNGER LIFESTAGES Communicate fast and simple meal solutions with chicken using potatoes Educate the health benefits of potato v other carbohydrates Communicate fast and simple potato recipes Objective Make potato the accompaniment of choice with chicken Increase potatoes as share of total carbohydrates consumed