Indian Street Food Becoming Hot Trend in UK: Report

Food lovers may find Indian street food in the aisles of supermarkets in the United Kingdom in 2018, according to the Waitrose Food and Drink report 2017-18. The report, released by the British supermarkets chain, is based on a survey of 2,000 consumers, sales statistics at stores, and predictions of in-house experts.

Their food trends for 2018 include:

Deep-fried tofu

Indian Street Food: Consumers in the United Kingdom may soon find tapas-style delicacies but they would be Indian not Spanish. Instead of chicken tikka masala they are more likely to find scallops in pickled ginger or lamb keema tacos. Food trucks selling puris stuffed with zingy vegetables and drizzled in chutney could become a common sight.
Japanese ‘dude food’: Izakaya bars are likely to replace miso and noodle soup. “Whether it’s yakitori skewered chicken or deep-fried tofu in broth, the trend will combine the hearty ‘dude food’ of the southern US states with the unctuous, rich and surprising flavors of after-hours Tokyo,” the report said.
Fourth meal: More and more people are leaning towards grabbing the fourth meal, which could be a snack before going to the gym or a small snack after an early dinner.
End of trolleys: The future of the supermarket lies in experiential retail space, where shopping is only one of the activities. Fewer and fewer people shop big-time once a week. People go to the supermarket more than once a day or buy only what is required, which could mark the end of trolleys.
Plant proteins: While high-protein food is still in demand more and more people are leaning towards pulses, shoots, grains, seeds, soy and algae for their protein intake.

“Today’s shoppers exercise unprecedented control over when they shop, what they buy and how they consume it,” Rob Collins, Managing Director, Waitrose, said. “Our research for the Waitrose Food and Drink Report 2017-18 found that people have become more flexible in their shopping patterns, more price-savvy and more single-minded than ever before. For example a staggering 65 per cent of Britons visit a supermarket more than once a day on a regular or occasional basis.” Rob Collins added that people can afford to be unplanned because supermarkets stay open longer, are conveniently placed and have carefully chosen ranges.

No Taboo in Buying Reduced Products

The survey also revealed that at least 71 per cent people feel ashamed about wasting food. At least 80 per cent Britons ignore best-before dates sometimes or always to avoid waste. As many as 53 per cent shoppers and 68 per cent consumers between the ages 18 and 24 years buy from the “reduced” section. Over 85 per cent people said they buy from the section to save money.

According to the Sun UK, a product is put in the “reduced” section either because it has a short best-before date; is out of season, like Easter eggs; or is superficially damaged. An increasing number of people feel no stigma while buying from this section and believe it is a better deal.

The report predicts a change in shopping habits as consumers are more in control. However, the products on which Britons won’t compromise on are meat, wine, chocolate, coffee and toilet roll.