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Bord Bia

Changing Eating Habits Brought About by Covid-19

28th September 2020

Michal Slawski, Manager Horticulture, Bord Bia - The Irish Food Board

It’s hard to think of an aspect of life that hasn’t been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, but eating habits are certainly one of them.

It has been boom time for fresh produce, with vegetable sales up 18% in the 6 months to the 7th of September compared to the same period last year, and potatoes up 20% in the same period.  People’s shopping habits have changed – the big shop is back, based on a detailed shopping list. Meals are planned in advance so that everything needed for the week is bought at one time, with only minor top ups required, and fresh produce are being planned into that shop.

There are a considerable amount of people furloughed or working from home, and they have something which was all too rare in the pre-covid era – time. Whereas in the past, vegetables and potatoes might have been regarded as taking too long to prepare, with extra time available, these staples are making a big comeback into the Irish diet.

There’s also an increasing propensity for the purchase of fresh produce because of increasing concerns about a healthy diet. For instance, in Italy, 52% of consumers agree with the statement 'consuming foods with gut-friendly ingredients can help to support your immune system (Mintel's Impact of COVID-19 on Food & Drink May 2020)

Cooking from scratch with health ingredients in the evening accounts for some of the growth in fresh produce sales, but there has also been an increase in cooked breakfasts. Kantar UK figures show that there has been a 22% increase in the consumption of mushrooms at breakfast,  and this is no doubt mirrored in Ireland, to go with other common modern breakfast items like avocados, tomatoes and poached eggs.

The challenge for the fresh produce market is to maintain these sales, and not let them drop off over time. Autumn is an ideal time to work on getting your recommended 7-a-day, with so much Irish produce in season. Use the Best in Season calendar to find out when to expect to see Irish produce in store. https://www.bordbia.ie/whats-in-season/best-in-season/calendar