The research on lifestyle segmentation of consumers reveals a rapid growth in demand for convenience food in Britain. Thisoffers a substantial market opportunity for Irish foodmanufacturers, write the report's authors.
Using a consumer research method called the Food Related Lifestyle Instrument, researchers at the Teagasc National Food Centre and University College Cork segmented British consumers into sixgroups.
According to Cathal Cowan at the Teagasc National Food Centre and leader of the research team, the most rapidly growing group of food consumers in Britain are now classified as 'snackers'. Accounting for one in five of British consumers, they are predominantly interested in convenience foods which offerquick and easy meal solutions.
The research team also identified two other British consumer categories with limited interest in food - 'careless' and 'uninvolved' consumers.
"The careless group have least interest in shopping whereas those in the uninvolved group have minimal interest in cooking.
Together with the emerging snackers these groups now accountfor 48 per cent of British consumers," said Cowan.
All three groups have higherproportions of people in the lower socio-economic groups, he added.
The research team classified the balance of consumers into 'rational', 'adventurous'‚ and 'conservative'.
The rational group, who account for 26 per cent of British consumers,are particularly interested in quality foods and are largely middle-aged to elderly. The adventurous group - 17 per cent ofconsumers - have the greatest interest in new food products andare more likely to shop in specialist stores.
In contrast, the conservative group, accounting for just 9 per cent ofconsumers, are traditional in food tastes and have little interest inconvenience foods or new food products. They contain a higherproportion of older females.
Cathal Cowan underlined the value of the British market for Irish companies, which in total produced over €2.6 billion of convenience food products in 2002, of which €1billion wasexported to the British market.
"The British market for convenience food is worth over €20 billion per annum and is projected to increase by a further €5 billion by2006. It represents a real growth opportunity for Irish foodmanufacturers."