Food Lab Survey Reveals "Food Trends 2023" [5]The Current State of Food and Communication
This series explores the signs of food. This installment's theme is "The Current State of Food and Communication." It is said that meals play an important role as a place for communication between people.
However, the Dentsu Inc. Food Lifestyle Lab (hereafter Food Lab) 2022 survey found that over half of respondents reported "eating out less" compared to 2019, before the spread of COVID-19. Furthermore, the 2023 survey, conducted after the classification of COVID-19 as a Category 5 infectious disease, showed that the percentage reporting a decrease still outnumbered those reporting an increase. While it was thought that the pent-up demand from pandemic restrictions might lead to increased dining out, the trend continued to decline.
As we enter the New Year party season, a time when "opportunities for food as a means of communication" abound, we aim to explore the "current state of food and communication."
<Table of Contents>
▼The Entrenchment of Values Born During the Pandemic
▼Changes in Communication Through "Food"
▼Signs of New Food Communication
▼New Food Communication Using "Cooking"
The Entrenchment of Values Born During the Pandemic
In Shokurabo's 2022 survey, nearly 70% of respondents reported eating less frequently with friends, acquaintances, or work colleagues after the pandemic. The 2023 survey, conducted after COVID-19 was reclassified as a Category 5 infectious disease, showed no trend toward increased dining out in these contexts.
Regarding "eating out privately with friends or acquaintances," responses indicated a decrease of about 30% compared to 2022, exceeding the percentage showing an increase. The survey results suggest that the reduced "opportunities to eat out with others" caused by the pandemic are not returning and are instead becoming established as a lifestyle.
As mentioned in the second installment of the "0.5 Meals" series (details here ), more people are moving away from the strict expectation of eating three full meals a day. The proportion of people eating while multitasking with work or household chores increased from 22% in the 2022 survey to approximately 24% in the 2023 survey. This result suggests that meals are functioning less as opportunities for communication and more as something enjoyed alone or as a nutritional intake behavior to maintain physical health.
Furthermore, perhaps influenced by the established reduction in opportunities to eat with others outside the home, a significant majority (86.1%) expressed a preference for choosing and eating what they personally like, rather than wanting to eat the same thing as everyone else. This represents a 1.3% increase from the 2022 survey and a 30.1% increase compared to the 2016 survey. It appears that attitudes towards food have shifted significantly towards a "self-centered" focus following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reflecting on my own life, I feel that after the pandemic, especially in my private life, the desire to "try that dish" or "visit that place" has taken precedence over "I want to see that person, so I'll create a dining opportunity." The priority of "who I go with" has decreased. On social media, I've also seen more posts from friends saying things like, "I want to go here, so if anyone wants to join, let me know!" This shift in attitudes toward food is clearly manifesting in real life as well.
Changes in Communication Through Food
However, it doesn't seem like food has ceased to function as a form of communication.
When asked, "Do you think food is one of the tools for communication?", the percentage of respondents who agreed was 24.5%, a slight increase of 0.1% compared to the 2022 survey, showing a flat trend. In contrast, the percentage of respondents who agreed with "Do you think cooking is one of the tools for communication?" increased from 11.9% in the 2022 survey to 14.2%.
Furthermore, 17.5% of respondents reported eating at home more often, significantly outnumbering the 3.8% who reported eating at home less. This suggests that the practice of "cooking and eating at home" is likely to remain largely established even after the pandemic.
Additionally, while from another company's survey, looking at responses to the question "Which dining occasion do you find most enjoyable?" revealed "Regular dinners" ranked highest, followed by "Drinking parties/home drinking" and "Family birthday celebrations." Notably, among men in their 40s, "Regular dinners" stood at 29.4%, significantly outpacing the next category. This result suggests they find happiness in spending time with family and in moments after work.
These results suggest that food communication may become more familiar and naturally integrated into daily life, serving as a way to deepen bonds through the inevitable daily opportunity of eating.
Signs of a New Food Communication
Examples are emerging that hint at food communication becoming more accessible.
Multiple services and products have emerged that transform the daily act of eating into an experience—a tool for parent-child communication and even a learning opportunity.
For example, a new experiential digital content has been developed themed around "Food Education × Programming Thinking." It involves imagining what dish will be created by combining ingredients and cooking steps. This tool provides an opportunity for parents and children to cultivate programming thinking by planning efficient steps together while cooking.
Services combining "online content" and "real-world content" are also emerging. Participants enjoy online content like videos, quizzes, and mini-games, while ingredients related to the content are delivered to their homes, allowing them to physically interact with them.
In this way, food communication, following the pandemic, may be evolving into a tool that not only allows sharing deliciousness and enjoying time together through eating, but also connects to learning through food and provides new experiences never seen before.
New Food Communication Using "Cooking"
An example symbolizing the increase in responses like "I think cooking is one form of communication" is the "Silent Cooking Class." Participants collaborate to create a dish without speaking, communicating silently. This event is accessible regardless of hearing ability. Each participant receives an "incomplete recipe with different sections filled in," and they exchange their own information and missing details "without speaking" to complete the dish.
It's a new communication experiment designed to create opportunities for people to realize that "even without conversation, we can connect with each other."
As lifestyles diversify, the forms of food and communication continue to evolve, and new tools for unique experiences will surely emerge. I myself would like to create experiences that don't yet exist.
[Survey Overview]
Consumer Survey on Eating Habits 2022 (Dentsu Inc. Food Lifestyle Lab)
・Target Area: Nationwide
・Subject Criteria: Men and women aged 15 to 79
・Sample Size: 1,300
・Survey Method: Online survey
・Survey Period: September 29 - October 1, 2022
・Research Agency: Dentsu Macromill Insight, Inc.
Consumer Survey on Eating Habits 2023 (Dentsu Inc. Food Lifestyle Lab)
・Target Area: Nationwide
・Respondent Criteria: Men and women aged 15 to 79
・Sample Size: 1,300
・Survey Method: Online survey
・Survey Period: October 20–23, 2023
・Research Agency: Dentsu Macromill Insight, Inc.
*Percentage composition (%) is rounded to the second decimal place, so the total may not always add up to 100%.
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Author
Mai Umee
Dentsu Live Inc.
Since joining the company, I have been involved in the production, implementation, and operational management of events, facilities, and shops, and have since transitioned to marketing planning. I have handled a wide range of clients, including automobile manufacturers, government-subsidized projects, beverage and food manufacturers, fashion brands, and entertainment companies. Since 2019, I have served as a researcher at the Dentsu Food Lifestyle Lab.
