Eating out under the stars to rise by €34bn

Regular eating and drinking out in the evening will no longer just be the preserve of the French, Spanish and Italians, claims a new report from market analysts Datamonitor. Across Europe consumers are seeking to go out more often - driven on the one hand by their desire for experiences and indulgence and on the other for convenience.

According to the report, going out will continue to become a set part of consumers' routines, with going out during the week set to increase. By 2006, the number of times the average person will go out in the evening will go up from 1.4 to 1.6 times per week. Despite this relatively small increase, industry will benefit from a rise in yearly spend of €34bn on evening foodservice meals and €8.8bn on on-trade drinks.

Datamonitor's​ research across seven European countries found that going out in the evening is increasingly habitual - where it is part of a regular routine, and not a special treat. Consumers going out in the evening to eat and drink has long characterised countries such as Italy and Spain; however, this behaviour is now catching on elsewhere in Europe.

Prompted by busier lifestyles, consumers are seeking "value-for-time" instead of just "value-for-money". In addition, more single person households and general attitudinal changes across Europe have led to ever-greater numbers of consumers judging the value of going out based upon whether it saves time and effort or maximises their leisure time. Going out to eat and drink in the evening increasingly satisfies consumer needs for relaxation, indulgence, experiences and time-saving, and consumers are willing to pay for it.

The working week is set to move centre stage, claims the report. In 2001, the average consumer in Europe went out to eat 1.4 times per week, but the split between the week and weekend is crucial, the report upholds. In 2001, 35 per cent of all the occasions when consumers ate out were during the working week (excluding Friday evening). In drinks the split was similar - with 40 per cent of drinking occasions occurring during the working week. Changes in consumer behaviour, which may at first glance seem small, will have a major impact, Datamonitor confirms.

But going out will not be due to more celebrations but linked to the fact that consumers will incorporate going out into their routines during the working week. By 2006, the report forecasts that 40 per cent of eating and 45 per cent of drinking occasions respectively will be during the working week. This apparently small change will have a big effect - equating to an additional 3.2 billion eating or drinking occasions on evenings during the working week.

"The impact of greater going out on the retail channels should not be forgotten. In particular, food trends are often started in foodservice channels and consumers increasingly seek to replicate their restaurant experiences at home - directly affecting what they purchase in the supermarkets.​

This trend is also occurring in drinks, but not as strongly. However there are often short-term fashions that are started in bars and clubs that affect what people drink - from coffee to spirits,"​said Piers Berezai, Datamonitor consumer markets analyst and author of the report.