Brits now add more healthy products to shopping baskets

As Brits have become more health conscious since the pandemic started, it has also made changes to what they put in their shopping baskets, a new survey has revealed.

The research carried out by Upfield, leading producer of margarines and spreads, into the impact of lockdown on our eating habits has revealed that two thirds (66%) have made changes to their shopping baskets following lockdown.

This is especially true with the younger generation, 4 in 5 (84%) of whom have said they’ve made changes to the food they buy.

More than 1 in 10 (13%) are buying less meat and a further 10 per cent are buying less dairy as part of the regular food shop, with over a third (39%) switching to margarine over dairy butter since lockdown began.

More than 1 in 10 said they’ve tried to increase the number of plant-based products they purchase. This nearly doubles to 1 in 5, for the 18 to 24 age-bracket.

Health and food consciousness continues to be a factor that influences people’s shopping. A third (34%) of Brits have started purchasing more fresh fruit and 15 per cent have reduced the amount of alcohol they buy.

The survey has also revealed that many of us miss eating out during lockdown. Having a coffee and slice of cake at a local cafe (38%), Sunday roasts at the pub (29%) and going out for brunch (28%) are the top three eating-out occasions missed by Brits since lockdown started.

On the other hand, 43 per cent of us have begun cooking from scratch more since the onset of lockdown, and over a third (38%) of us have turned to baking as a new skill.

“It’s great to see there’s been an increase in the amount of people looking to make more conscious decisions around what they buy and what they eat. Surely one of the few positives to come from lockdown,” commented Damian Guha, General Manager of Upfield UK & Ireland.

“Whether it’s making healthier choices in our purchases, or reducing our meat and dairy consumption – such as by changing from dairy butter to margarine, as so many people have - every small change helps in the long run.”