A new survey performed by Lantmännen Unibake sheds light on international consumer bread habits and the major trends right now. The trend arrow points to whole grain products and on-the-go meals as some of the prominent trends.
The Bread Barometer Survey maps consumer attitudes and habits when buying bread in several European countries. The survey reveals that consumers no matter where agree that freshness and tastiness are the most important qualities of the daily bread.
High growth potential: freshly baked bread on-the-go
Consumer habits are changing. At least one out of ten people in the countries surveyed eat more snacks and meals on the go than they did 2-3 years ago. Furthermore, “freshly baked” tops the consumers’ most wanted list in every country. The desire for bread fresh from the oven explains the success of bake off, where bread is baked around the clock close to the customers in in-store bakeries, convenience stores, service stations, train stations, cafes, etc.
"Bake off matches the growing demand for convenience. Both for the shops that want to offer freshly baked bread without too much trouble and for consumers who want fresh bread and pastry on-the-go”, says Jesper Skovlund, Corporate press manager from Lantmännen Unibake.
According to the market research company Gira, bake off products have the highest growth potential with the prospect of reaching 25 per cent of sales (volume) of fresh bakery products in Europe in 2014.
Consumer preferences: health comes first
The Bread Barometer shows that a significant number of consumers prefer whole grain to white bread. On average nearly two in three prefer whole grain with variations from one country to the next depending on the tradition for whole grain products. For instance, the English are more reluctant to embrace the whole grain trend, whereas consumers in the Nordic countries favour the health foods to a higher degree thanks to a strong tradition for whole grain bread in these countries.
"The survey reveals how the healthy bread habits are currently gaining ground internationally. It is interesting to see the positive development in whole grain in many countries. Whole grain hotdog and burger buns, and other products not normally associated with wholegrain are gradually becoming consumer favourites in line with the general health trend sweeping across Europe," said Jesper Skovlund, Corporate press manager from Lantmännen Unibake.
Purchasing structures: Belgium stands out
In three of the four countries surveyed, the shopping patterns for bread are similar with most people buying bread off the supermarket shelves. This goes for Denmark, Sweden, and the UK, whereas Belgium stands out with 78 per cent primarily buying bread at the local artisan bakery. More and more consumers in all countries tend to buy freshly baked bread from convenience stores or service stations.
The Bread Barometer survey was carried out in February 2011 as a web survey with 500 respondents in Denmark, Sweden, Belgium and England, respectively. The survey was executed by Gersdorff Research on behalf of Lantmännen Unibake.
More facts about the survey and bread habits among European consumers.
For further information please contact:
Corporate press manager
Jesper Skovlund
+45 2368 5148
jesper.skovlund@lantmannen.com