Consumers on the Run Open Up Opportunities

Americans are blurring eating occasions more and more, opening up new growth opportunities as consumers who eat on the fly are increasing.

September 18, 2013

CHICAGO – The age-old image of a family seated around the dining room table enjoying a home-cooked meal is falling by the wayside. While 79% of Americans are planners and eat three “square meals” or several “mini meals” throughout the day, a new segment is also emerging, for those who eat on the run.

Dubbed “opportunists” by Information Resources Inc. (IRI), these eaters represent a whopping 21% of Americans. This group tends to grab food and drink throughout the day as the opportunity arises, with little consideration as to whether they are eating a meal or a snack — a $90 billion market.

“The eating habits and attitudes of traditional three-square-meals-a-day eaters have been studied extensively for years,” said Susan Viamari, editor of IRI’s Times & Trends, in a press release. “While this segment is still important, you simply cannot deny the emergence of this new on-the-go eating segment. Since very little has been uncovered about these eaters, we are addressing how this group’s demographic, lifestyle and attitudinal characteristics impact their food and beverage shopping, buying and consumption behavior.”

Thirty-nine percent of opportunist eaters grab convenient foods with little thought as to whether those foods are playing the role of a snack or meal. They do this with nearly triple the frequency of their planner counterparts. This is not to say that opportunists do not enjoy cooking. Even though they under-index in this area compared to planners, 49% do like to cook but look for convenience when evaluating their food and beverage options. Two-thirds want foods that are quick and easy to prepare, and one-third prefer to eat heat-and-eat or ready-to-eat foods rather than preparing options from scratch.

With 66 million opportunist eaters in America today, marketers must look beyond the confines of the retail store and rethink the competitive landscape by viewing all eating and drinking occasions as opportunities to engage shoppers and win share of stomach, not just home-based occasions. 

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