Families driving the trend with demand in London up +95% in 2020
There’s a new food trend emerging in the capital. Latest analysis from The NPD Group shows a significant rise in families in London ordering snacks and coffee delivered to their home. Demand from families for snacking delivered by foodservice operators and delivery platforms like UberEats and Deliveroo increased strongly, up +95% in London in 2020 versus 2019. This is significantly ahead of the +11% increase in orders placed by families across the country as a whole.
London currently represents one quarter of the UK’s snacking via delivery market. Dominic Allport, Insights Director (Foodservice), The NPD Group says “During 2020, London was the only region to see a rise in snacking via delivery. The main reason is the greater use of delivery subscriptions such as Deliveroo Plus in the capital, where customers pay a flat monthly fee for unlimited free deliveries*. For the provider, the £11.49 monthly fee encourages customers to order more food, to buy more frequently, and it also increases loyalty. As these subscriptions become increasingly common across the country, we expect to see a growth in people ordering snacks and drinks to be delivered to their homes more regularly.”
Ordering takeaway main meals for home delivery has been a big part of locked down life, but the rise in snacking is a new phenomenon. In 2020, the growth in weekend snacking deliveries in London was pronounced, up +72% year-on-year, versus only +2% growth across Britain. Also popular with the 16-24 age group, these younger consumers are the most likely to pay for a ready-made coffee to be delivered to their home, often as part of a snack order. Last year 35 million home food deliveries included a ready-made coffee ordered either direct from foodservice operators or via delivery platforms.
Spend on delivered snacks up 20% year-on-year
The average amount spent per person on snack delivery increased by +20% nationally in 2020 vs. 2019 to reach £5.66. This figure is just -20% less than overall spend per person on main meal delivery (£7.14). The number of items bought during each snacking occasion in London has increased significantly and is now +18% higher than the national average.
Dominic Allport, Insights Director (Foodservice), The NPD Group, said: “With a locked down population, ordering snacks and coffee to be delivered to the home serves many purposes. It provides a treat during a long day, alleviates boredom, or serves as main meal replacements. Although the trend is currently driven by families and young people living in London, we believe demand will rapidly spread to other cities and large towns where the delivery companies offer unlimited drops for a monthly subscription. Once lockdown is over, this trend is likely to remain embedded in the population. In that case, we expect coffee to soon be in the top five snacking home deliveries.”
