Lunchtime report

Citation

(1999), "Lunchtime report", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 99 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.1999.01799baf.005

Lunchtime report

Lunchtime report

A recent survey into the British working lunch was recently commissioned by Eurest, a leading food service specialist for the workplace. The market research was undertaken in Great Britain and Northern Ireland during June 1998. Over 2,000 adults took part in face-to-face interviews. The research has found that in a reversal of the trend of recent years more of us are taking lunch as well as a break in which to enjoy it. However, we do not spend as much time over lunch as the French or Spanish.

One of the key findings of the survey was that 47 per cent of workers said they took a break for lunch every day. A further 10 per cent said they took a proper break at least four times a week. The Scots (59 per cent) are the most likely to take a break for lunch every day, followed by the Irish (58 per cent), Welsh and South-Westerners (51 per cent) and Lancastrians (50 per cent). Londoners are most likely to lunch at their desks (40 per cent). In 1990 fewer than one in ten (7 per cent) of Britain's workforce worked through their lunch breaks every day. Now one in five say they do. This is an improvement on a similar survey carried out in 1997 when 29 per cent claimed never to take a break at lunchtime.

In 1998 the average length of the lunch break is now 32 minutes, Londoners take slightly longer, Lancastrians and Yorkists slightly less. Lunch eaten at the desk or workstation takes the shortest time of all, just 27 minutes. The longest lunchers and the biggest spenders are young Londoners of 16 to 24 years, with almost one in five spending over £3 each and taking 40 minutes to eat it.

The average amount spent on lunch during a working day is now £1.69, up from £1.45 during 1997. Only one fifth of the working population spend less than £1 on a midday meal, while senior managers in London and the South regularly spend more than £5. Only 7per cent now have lunch provided free by their employers. Those in the North East are more likely to enjoy this while those in the Midlands and East Anglia are least likely. There is a significant proportion of people who bring food from home and just "top up" from facilities at or near work. Men are bigger spenders than women, £1.84 compared with £1.46 and Londoners spend the most of all, an average of £2.23.

When choosing lunch, 26 per cent of us put taste first and this is even higher in East Anglia (36 per cent), the Midlands or Northern Ireland (33 per cent). Convenience is the second priority with 25 per cent of people citing it as important, especially in the South (37 per cent) but least important if you live in the West or in Wales (19 per cent). Cost comes third with 23 per cent of people overall taking it into account. Scots (14 per cent) and people in Yorkshire (13 per cent) are least concerned about the money they spend. The need for a balanced diet concerns only 19 per cent of people. The specific fat content is important to 26 per cent of women but only half that number of men. Calorie content was cited by 20per cent and sugar content by 13 per cent of women.

Rest and relaxation (57 per cent) is the leading reason given for taking time for lunch. Socialising with colleagues was the second choice of more than one in four of those questioned but this rose to 40 per cent of the 16 to 24 years age range. Younger workers are also more likely to use staff restaurants. Nearly 62 per cent of 16 to 24 year olds who have access to such a facility use it at least once a week and more than half use it four times a week or more. More than twice as many women (22 per cent) than men (9 per cent) use their lunchbreaks for shopping.

Working Britons drink less at lunchtime with 85 per cent saying they never touch alcohol at midday. Those over 55 are the most likely to drink alcohol every day (6 per cent). Sandwiches are the favourite food for lunch say 63 per cent of all men and women in mainland Britain. Steak and kidney pie and similar "traditional" English food has disappeared and traditional roast lunches are taken by fewer than one in ten (7 per cent). After sandwiches, popular lunchtime foods include salad, jacket potatoes and pasta.

Britain's workplace catering business is now worth £1.9 billion annually and more than half of that is accounted for by lunches alone. A significant change is that cost now ranks third after taste and convenience. The British traditionally work long hours and the midday break can be time well spent in allowing us the chance to recharge our batteries and return fit for the fray.