Sales of pork and lamb via food delivery apps are growing, as consumer habits shift when it comes to purchases of takeaways and groceries, according to analysis by AHDB.
While the wider takeaway and delivery market is under pressure, delivery apps are proving more resilient, with spending rising and red meat categories performing particularly strongly among engaged users.
Takeaway and delivery sales fell by 2.2% in the year to March 22, a loss of £400 million, but still account for just over a quarter of all ‘out-of-home’ spending, worth £17.7 billion over the past year, according to data from Worldpanel by Numerator UK’s OOH panel. The reduction has been driven by smaller basket sizes, fewer takeaways overall and some consumers leaving the market behind altogether.
Rising cost-of-living pressures continue to influence purchasing decisions, with 80% of consumers now ‘extremely or very concerned’ about the cost of living, up 8% on last year, consumer research by Sparkminds shows, with 72% of takeaway users now viewing it as a luxury purchase, research from Mintel shows.
However, platforms such as Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat generated £2.6 billion in takeaway and delivery spending over the past year, with spending through delivery apps up by 0.5% year-on-year, the World panel data shows. One in five consumers in Great Britain now uses these apps, with loyalty schemes encouraging regular engagement and repeat purchasing.
Lamb and pork are benefiting strongly from this trend, with spending through delivery apps growing faster than the overall market, highlighting an opportunity for the red meat sector to capitalise on changing consumer behaviours and evolving meal occasions, AHDB said.
Pork is also seeing strong growth through delivery apps, with spending rising 54.7% year-on-year, with burgers, sandwiches and pizzas continuinhg to underpin performance within the category.
Lamb spending through delivery apps increased by 36.7% year-on-year, outpacing growth across the wider takeaway and delivery market.
Well placed
Emma Wantling, AHDB retail and consumer insight manager, said: “As delivery channels continue to evolve, lamb and pork are well placed to benefit from the growing role of apps in both takeaway and retail purchasing, helping to create new occasions for consumption and support future category growth.”
The research also identifies growing crossover between takeaway and grocery purchasing, with shoppers using delivery apps for takeaways increasingly adding grocery items to their baskets, creating further opportunities for retailers and suppliers of red meat products.
With younger consumers increasingly using digital platforms for both meals and grocery shopping, app-based ordering is expected to play an increasingly important role in shaping future food purchasing habits and creating new opportunities for red meat categories, Ms Wantling predicted.