Breakfast is driving the surge in egg consumption - with more Brits scrambling and poaching for a quick and healthy morning meal, new research has found.
Egg consumption at breakfast is up 18% over the past two years, according to the analysis conducted on behalf of the British Egg Industry Council, with people tucking into more eggs for their morning meal both midweek and at the weekend.
Health was the main driver for choosing more eggs at breakfast, with scrambled (+13%) and poached (+9%) the fastest growing choices.
Brits are also eating more eggs for lunch, with egg consumption in sandwiches up 4% to around 18% of total egg occasions, the research found.
But baking has seen a decline, with egg consumption from homemade sweet treats down 7% as Brits fall out of love with home baking.
Most of the recent growth in egg consumption has come from younger people, according to the research, with consumption among 16-24 year old women up by 27% over the past two years. But elderly consumers have also increased consumption by 5% as they look for healthy options.
“The resurgence in egg consumption has been remarkable and has clearly been driven by the return to eggs at breakfast, by consumers at both ends of the age spectrum,” said Pernille Fladsrud of Kantar Worldpanel.
“Eggs are increasingly being chosen for health and convenience reasons and, perhaps surprisingly, home baking is actually on the decline, both for eggs and more generally.”
BEIC chairman Andrew Joret said the research confirmed eggs’ “unique” position to capitalise on consumer demand for healthy and natural options that are also quick and easy to compare.
“The research indicates that the growing popularity of eggs is sustainable, with young people becoming an increasingly important part of the market,” he said.
“And with our traditional base of older consumers also eating more eggs and being an increasingly important demographic group, we have good reasons for optimism about long-term growth.”
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