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Study: Most U.S. consumers to stick with eating at home post-pandemic

Acosta finds 92% of families aim to continue or increase home dining

Russell Redman

May 13, 2021

4 Min Read
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Almost two-thirds of shoppers polled cook at home more and eat 'far more' meals at home all the time since COVID-19, Acosta's 'COVID Dining Journey' report said.The Kroger Co.

The eat-at-home trend boosted by the COVID-19 crisis won’t recede anytime soon post-pandemic, according to new research from CPG sales and marketing firm Acosta.

After the pandemic ends, 92% of families plan to continue eating together at home at least as often as — or more often than — they do now, Acosta’s “COVID Dining Journey: Eating at Home and Away From Home” report found. Online surveys of Acosta’s proprietary shopper community, conducted between March and April, showed that eating together as a family will stay the same for 72% of all households, while 20% expect to eat together more frequently.

Almost two-thirds of shoppers polled reported that, since the coronavirus outbreak, they cook at home more and eat “far more” meals at home all the time, Acosta said. That trend spanned all eating occasions during the day. Following the start of the pandemic, 47% of adults ate breakfast at home every day (versus 37% pre-COVID), 40% of adults ate lunch at home every day (26% pre-COVID) and 31% of families ate dinner at home every day (18% pre-COVID).

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Children’s eating habits were impacted as well. Since the onset of the pandemic, 53% of kids ate breakfast at home every day (48% pre-COVID), while 48% ate lunch at home every day (33% pre-COVID), Jacksonville, Fla.-based Acosta noted.

Related:Grocers turn to e-commerce to boost prepared foods

“Eating at home became the norm during COVID-19. Our research found 31% of families have eaten dinner at home every day since COVID, compared to only 18% pre-pandemic. These shifts have significantly impacted the restaurant industry, leading to $240 billion in lost revenue and 110,000 restaurant closures, according to the National Restaurant Association,” explained Colin Stewart, executive vice president of business intelligence at Acosta. “Post-COVID, shoppers believe eating together as a family will continue, and 20% even say that it will increase.”

Signs that many Americans will stick with eating at home are welcome news to supermarkets, who over the first year of the pandemic benefited from a surge in sales of food and beverages and related supplies as more consumers opted to prepare meals at home or buy grab-and-go and heat-and-eat items. As grocery retailers begin to cycle the big sales gains from the pandemic’s early weeks, companies are seeing less or no growth — or declines — but report that their sales levels remain high versus the pre-pandemic period. Now, the question for supermarkets is when will the pendulum swing back toward food away from home? 

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Acosta’s study revealed palpable uncertainty when consumers were asked how long it will be until they start eating inside restaurants again. Of those surveyed 30% expressed misgivings about dining at a restaurant again, including 14% saying it will be over six months before they do so, 16% saying they’re not sure and 3% saying they’ll never go back to restaurants. Twenty-six percent of consumers indicated they will be comfortable dining at a restaurant within the next week, compared with 14% expecting to do so within the next month.

Related:U.S. grocery shoppers head back to stores as COVID-19 vaccinations rise

Among other post-pandemic eating trends, 19% of respondents plan to cook more meals at home, while 13% expect to cook fewer meals themselves, Acosta found. The same percentage — 14% — said they aim to increase or decrease the number of meals they prepare daily. Similarly, 15% anticipate increasing the amount of food purchased versus 11% planning to lower food purchases.

When eating out post-pandemic, consumers said they will value lower-priced meal options (51%), promotions and special offers (43%), safety precautions (38%) and healthy options (37%). 

And citing National Restaurant Association findings, Acosta said Americans helped restaurants during indoor dining shutdowns by buying food via the drive-thru (63%) and in-store or curbside pickup (49%). Sixty-eight percent of U.S. adults said they’re more likely now to buy food for takeout than before COVID-19, and 80% of fine dining and casual restaurant operators reported adding curbside pickup during the pandemic.

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“Consumers supported restaurants during COVID via curbside pickup, drive-thru and delivery options, but now that things are opening back up, timing for the return to indoor restaurant dining still remains to be seen,” according to Stewart. “Thirty percent of those surveyed are not sure or think it will be longer than six months before they dine inside again.”

On the other side of the coin, shoppers eating at home encountered meal planning challenges during the pandemic, Acosta’s research revealed. Fifty-six percent of those polled found planning different meals every day a challenge, and 45% expressed concern about COVID-19 exposure when grocery shopping. Also, 33% were pressed for time in preparing and cleaning up after meals, and 29% said they need to improve their cooking skills.

Still, people ate out far less amid the pandemic. Citing research from Dataessential, Acosta’s report said 44% of consumers eat out at least once weekly since the COVID-19 outbreak versus 53% beforehand. Forty-one percent reported that they “definitely avoided” eating out.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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