- Romanians prefer to buy “on the go” products from the modern trade (supermarkets/hypermarkets), to the detriment of shops near the home.
- 80% of the Romanians who eat breakfast choose to have it at home, and the remaining 20% choose to eat the first meal of the day at the office.
- Fruits, vegetables, dairy products and sweets are the foods that Romanians consume most often.
14% of Romanians say that they usually consume “on the go” products 3-5 times a week, according a study conducted by Reveal Marketing Research in partnership with Progresiv Magazine. This study is representative of the urban and rural population. For 4 out of 10 respondents, the level of interest in purchasing “on the go” products changed during the pandemic.
How often do Romanians consume “on the go” products?
On average, 14% of Romanians consume daily or almost daily “on the go” products, and 21% of them say that they have an average consumption of “on the go” products 1-2 times a week.
Only 5% of the respondents say they never consume “on the go” products. The product most avoided by respondents is packaged cooked food – 29% of them say that they do not buy that type of product. People over the age of 55 are the ones who say the most that they do not buy packaged cooked food – almost half (40%) of this age group have selected this option.
What do Romanians Have for Breakfast?
The first options of Romanians for breakfast are: coffee (75%), dairy products (62%), sandwiches (49%), and pastries (pretzels, pies, salty or sweet snacks – 40%). The ideal breakfast recommended by specialists should contain fruit or fruit juices, fiber and protein.
By age groups, the highest percentage of respondents who consume coffee or coffee-based drinks at breakfast is in the 55-60 age group – 82%.
Fresh Vegetable Are Priority at Lunch
First place in the top of Romanians’ favorite foods for lunch are fresh vegetables, these products being chosen by six out of ten respondents.
These are followed by fresh fruit (29%), packaged cooked food (47%) and sweets that were included in the lunch menu by approximately 2% of the respondents. At the other end in the top of the products preferred by Romanians for the second meal of the day are pretzels, pies, salty or sweet snacks and dried fruits – products that were consumed by one in ten Romanians.
As far as dinner is concerned, 44% of them eat vegetables, dairy products (34%), cooked food (26%), fruits (25%) and sweets (20%).
What Factors Influence Choosing “on the go” Products?
If we talk about the factors that influence the choice of “on the go” products, the most relevant criterion for Romanian consumers is that the products are fresh, but just as important is that they are healthy – factors mentioned by six out of ten respondents. Also, the fact that the products chosen should be fresh and healthy are key issues rather for women, with 75% and, respectively, 61% of respondents claiming this factor.
At the same time, for approximately four out of ten Romanians it is important that the product provides the necessary caloric intake, this criterion being relevant especially for people in the age category 25-34 years (47%). Other criteria mentioned by Romanians are that the products “be made of natural ingredients”, “have an affordable price” and “be easy to consume” – important aspects for about half of the respondents. The least important criterion for choosing “on the go” products is that they are beautiful-looking products.
Asked if they would be willing to pay more for “on the go” products if these offered them a number of benefits, the majority of Romanians (52%) said they would pay more for healthy products and products made from natural ingredients (48 %). Less relevant is the safe and robust packaging – only 7% said they would pay extra for a product “on the go”.
Also, the data show that, in general, Romanians prefer to buy “on the go” products from the modern trade, respectively from the supermarket and hypermarket. The monthly budget allocated for the purchase of “on the go” products is in the range of 50-200 lei.