Covid-19 has impacted the lifestyle of consumers significantly. Eating habits of consumers have changed, which has caused a change in the market of food and food ingredients in Cambodia.
MRTS Consulting conducted a study to understand changing habits of consumers, particularly consumption of food in home vs out of home so as to help marketers devise relevant marketing plans to cater to their specific consumer segments.
The study was an on-line quantitative study conducted during Sept-Oct 2021 among 164 residents of Phnom Penh.
Some key findings of this study are presented in this document.
Breakfast Occasions
Majority of the consumers have breakfast at home during COVID. There is a substantial increase in breakfast consumption at home during COVID times compared to earlier – with an increase in frequency from 17.7 days / month to 22.8 days / month.
Breakfast from restaurants and takeaways is lower.
Post COVID, 9 in 10 consumers mentioned that their breakfast consumption at home will increase or remain the same as earlier.
Lunch Occasions
In home lunch consumption has increased to 67% from 55% earlier. Lunch from restaurants and takeaways is lower.
Post COVID, less than a third (30%) of consumers believe that their lunch consumption at home will increase compared to what it was before COVID; for restaurants and takeaways half believe that their consumption will remain the same as what was before COVID.
Dinner Occasions
Dinner consumption at home has increased too during COVID times compared to earlier, with average frequency of consumption being 20.4 times / month now compared to 18.2 times / month earlier. Dinner from restaurants and takeaways is correspondingly lower.
Post COVID, half the consumers believe that their dinner consumption at home, at restaurants and from takeaways will be the same as it was before COVID; for restaurants and takeaways a fourth believe that their consumption will increase compared to what it was before COVID.
Summary & Conclusions
Food consumption at home across occasions of breakfast, lunch and dinner has increased during COVID compared to pre COVID times. Deep dive into the data indicates that this trend is led largely by women, home makers and the older audience more than students and working males.
Experts suggest that the ‘pandemic’ is now tending to become an ‘endemic’, and some consumers seem to indicate that their out of home food consumption could increase back to pre COVID times. We however believe that in the short to medium term period (2-3 years), the current level of in home food consumption will continue.
Marketers of food products – RTC, RTE and ingredients – hence need to ensure that their brands do not have any ‘out of stock’ situation in the retail market place.
Want to get the full report? email to: vuthy@mrtsconsulting.com or Download