Final Sitting For Lunch?

Last updated: 06/12/2006 - 16:42

Pressure of work has made a proper lunch break a thing of the past for workers across the UK, the leading survey of the nation's lunchtime eating habits reveals.

According to the Eurest Lunchtime Report for 2006, the average lunch break is now just 28 minutes long and the lunch 'hour' has all but disappeared. One in five workers either never takes a break or eats while working and women are the worst offenders – one in five (19%) skips their lunch break. The main reason people give for not taking a longer lunch hour is that they're too busy (44%).

Workplaces Getting Healthier?

At the same time, the report offers some welcome signs that the working population is embracing the healthy eating message. Seven out of ten (68%) say they are more concerned about eating healthily than they were two years ago, while two out of three (64%) are eating more fresh and less processed foods. Just over half (52%) said they pay more attention to product labels and six out of ten (61%) are willing to pay more for Fairtrade, local or organic products. "Over the past two years we've seen a real step change in workers' attitudes to diet. It is encouraging that having a healthy meal is, after 'taste', the most important factor in choosing what to eat for lunch," says restaurateur and food writer Prue Leith in her foreword to the report commissioned by leading business and industry caterer Eurest. However, she adds: "Our long hours culture continues to leave workers little time to relax over a meal or build exercise into their day."

After taste (49%) and health (40%), value for money (39%) then price (38%) are the most important factors in what people choose for lunch. Sandwiches or baguettes (55%) are still workers' favourite lunchtime options followed by fruit and salad. Tea is the number one drink chosen by one in three workers (33%) during their lunch break followed by coffee (23%) and mineral or tap water (both 22%). The staff restaurant or cafeteria is still the most popular place where people buy lunch.

Huge Pressure

"With their time under huge pressure, it's not surprising that hard-pressed workers are choosing to 'eat in'," says Andy Harris, MD of Eurest National Accounts. "As well as offering the chance to get away from their desks, workplace restaurants are also increasingly providing a wide selection of menus designed to appeal to health and lifestyle-conscious customers."

The key survey findings are:

  • Two-thirds of male and a half of female workers take a lunch break every day

  • One in ten (11%) never takes a break and 9% eat while working

  • Younger workers (aged 16-24) are most likely (68%) to break for lunch every day while those aged 45-54 are least likely (54%)

  • It remains the case that more women (19%) than men (12%) skip their lunch break

  • The average worker's lunch break is 28 minutes – little different from 2004's record low of 27 minutes. Hospitality workers take the shortest lunch breaks (17 minutes) compared with military personnel who have the longest lunches (41 minutes)

  • The top reason for not taking longer lunch breaks is because people are 'too busy' (44%)

  • Overwhelmingly, workers say they are more concerned about eating healthily than two years ago – 68% against 19% who say they are not

  • Six out of ten (61%) say they would be willing to pay more for Fairtrade, local or organic products

  • Two out of three (64%) workers say they eat more fresh and less processed foods than two years ago

  • Workers choose their lunch on the basis of taste (49%), healthy option (40%), value for money (39%) and price (38%)

  • Average spend on lunch is £1.94 (against £2.02 in 2004) with men (£2.23) outspending women (£1.55) by some distance

  • In 2004, men spent £2.31 and women spent £1.63

  • The staff restaurant is the most popular place (16%) to buy lunch followed by local sandwich shops or cafés (13%)

  • Around one in ten buys lunch at a supermarket or food retailer

  • Half of workers surveyed had no access to a staff restaurant or cafeteria

  • The sandwich or baguette remains the nation's favourite lunchtime food with over half (55%) followed by fruit (44%), salad (33%) and yoghurt (18%)
  • Tea remains the favourite lunchtime drink of choice with one in three (33%) choosing it in preference to coffee (23%) or mineral or tap water (both 22%)

    • More information available in Work Life Balance, Work Environment, Healthy Alternatives, Eating In

    Post your comments
    5. Area of work
    7. * Required fields. NB: Your email address will not be displayed should your comments appear.
    9. NB: all submitted comments will be considered for publication and may be edited or omitted at our discretion.
    Send to a friend/colleague
    3. * Required fields.