Retail Outlets Will Take Traffic Share From Restaurants Over The Next Decade, NPD Forecasts

Among the predictions in The NPD Group’s recently released “A Look into the Future of Foodservice” study is this one: Prepared foods provided by retailers such as supermarkets and drug stores will continue to capture share of the meals/snacks market by taking visits from restaurants. The study, which looks at the foodservice market out through 2022, forecasts that instances of prepared food purchased from retailers for at-home consumption will grow 10% between now and ’22, while restaurants traffic is expected to increase only 4% during the period.

Demographic shifts will play a role in the growth of so-called home meal replacement, NPD reports. The number of Baby Boomers (45-64 year-olds) moving into their 60s will drive some of the growth, as will the demographic group called Millennials (18-34) as they move into their 30s.

Entrées purchased most frequently from retail outlets for consumption at home include chicken, pizza, macaroni and cheese and sandwiches, NPD says.

“Efforts to pull consumers out of their homes and back into restaurants will require touting the benefits of eating out versus staying at home and cooking or eating meals offered by home meal replacement retailers,” said Bonnie Riggs, NPD restaurant industry analyst. She noted capturing visits from meals at home or purchased from retailers has long been a source of restaurant industry growth “and will continue to be the case.”

Information on NPD Group foodservice research can be found at npd.com.”””