British workers splash out on lunch!

Citation

(2000), "British workers splash out on lunch!", Work Study, Vol. 49 No. 7. https://doi.org/10.1108/ws.2000.07949gaf.004

British workers splash out on lunch!

British workers splash out on lunch!

Keywords: Food, Workers, Lifestyles, Expense

The amount British workers spend on their lunch has rocketed over the past decade, according to the eighth Eurest Lunchtime Report. British workers now splash out an average of £1.98 a day on lunch – a 65 per cent increase on the 1990 figure of £1.20 and a 17 per cent rise on 1998's £1.69. Londoners lavish most on their midday meal, forking out an average £2.40. The North-East is the cheapest place to buy lunch – workers there spend an average of just £1.51.

Based on surveys of nearly 2,500 adults across Britain and Northern Ireland, the Eurest Lunchtime Report chronicles key changes in Britain's working and eating habits. At an average 36 minutes, workers are taking the longest lunchbreaks in a decade, with Londoners taking the most time (just under 39 minutes) and Wales and South-West workers the shortest (just over 32 minutes). Yorkshire workers are most likely to skip lunch (21 per cent never take a lunchbreak) and those in Northern Ireland are the keenest on staff restaurants (28 per cent). But across the country three workers in five take a lunchbreak every day. And the number who never have lunch has dropped to 18 per cent – well down on 1997's 29 per cent. The old saying that there's no such thing as a free lunch is fast becoming true – only 5 per cent get lunch courtesy of their employer. In the North-East it drops to 2 per cent against the 8 per cent of workers in the South and Northern Ireland enjoying this perk.

Sandwiches remain the nation's favourite lunchtime food, chosen by nearly half the workforce (49 per cent) and we prefer them made with granary or brown bread (favoured by 35 per cent) above white (chosen by 32 per cent) except in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Despite the rise of the takeaway and microwave, we still love home cooking: more than half of us (53 per cent) eat a home made evening meal five times a week or more. And although convenience foods and pre-packaged meals may be readily available, most of us can find our way round a kitchen with 83 per cent claiming they can cook a roast dinner. However, there are some culinary blackspots: nearly one in ten (9 per cent) Londoners confesses that they can't boil an egg and only 52 per cent of men are up to baking a cake.

In her foreword, Prue Leith welcomes the Eurest Lunchtime Report's findings that Britain's workers are enjoying more leisurely lunchbreaks. "There is nothing wrong with working hard – but, in order to work hard, we need good food and time to enjoy it", she says. "Good mid-day refreshment provides the fuel for a productive day."

"It's good to see that we are making more time for lunch at work", says Robin Hay, Eurest managing director operations for England and Wales. "The report also shows that people are increasingly prepared to spend more on food which is tasty, healthy and convenient."

Key findings of the Eurest Lunchtime Report 2000

1. 1.

   Average lunchtime spend has increased to £1.98: a 29p – 17 per cent – rise in two years.

2. 2.

   At 36 minutes, the average British working lunch is longer than it's been in a decade.

3. 3.

   We choose our food on the basis of:

   • •

     taste;

   • •

     health;

   • •

     convenience/speed; and

   • •

     costs.

4. 4.

   Sandwiches are still the nation's favourite lunchtime food (chosen by 49 per cent).

5. 5.

   A total of 35 per cent prefer sandwiches made with brown/granary bread against 32 per cent opting for sandwiches made with plain white bread.

6. 6.

   Fewer than one in five workers (18 per cent) never take a lunchbreak – compared with nearly one in three (29 per cent) in 1997.

7. 7.

   Three out of five (60 per cent) workers take lunch every day – a huge increase from 1997's 44 per cent.

8. 8.

   More than half of us (53 per cent) eat a home-cooked evening meal five times a week or more.

9. 9.

   Most of us (86 per cent) view our evening meal as the main meal of the day.

10. 10.

    Fewer than half (42 per cent) of 16-24 year olds know how to make a casserole.

11. 11.

    Women appear to be more confident of their cooking skills. The biggest divide is making a cake: a task just over half (52 per cent) of men felt able to tackle against 88 per cent of women.

12. 12.

    A total 9 per cent of Londoners can't boil an egg.

13. 13.

    Traditional British dishes remain popular: roast beef and Yorkshire pudding is the nation's top choice (popular with 68 per cent), while 66 per cent would tuck into fish and chips and 50 per cent would eat shepherd's pie. But most turn their noses up at jugged hare and pease pudding.