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France's New-Found Need To Nibble
By Marie-Cecile Damave
According to a recently published survey of French consumers, the tradition of eating three structured meals a day is gradually waning. The popular press and books are partly to blame; they advertise a wide range of often-contradictory approaches to a balanced diet, leaving French consumers confused.
The survey, conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Toulouse Le-Mirail for the French government, found four distinct categories of food consumers.
Those who trust
science comprise 55 percent of those surveyed. They eat a
variety of healthy and natural products, such as greens, fruits,
carbohydrates, dairy products, meats, vitamins and cereals, to
balance their diet.
Those who trust their bodies focus on their own pleasure, longings and needs. They comprise 24 percent of respondents and want to feel well after lunch, while also being in good shape.
Those who limit their food consumption feel responsible and sometimes guilty for what they eat, believing there is a gap between their bodies real needs and what they spontaneously eat or want to eat. This group comprises 19 percent of those surveyed.
Those who trust in tradition comprise 2 percent of the respondents. They follow "the right way of eating" and have traditional concepts of eating food.
Eating Less at Meals Means Eating Other Times
These multiple notions have led many French consumers to reduce the amount they eat at mealtime, giving them the impression of eating less. To compensate for their hunger between meals, however, many are eating at other times of the day.
Almost 75 percent of those surveyed, particularly women and executives or employees between the ages of 30 and 40 who live and work in urban areas, say they consume food from three to five times per day. Peak periods of consumption apart from meals include from 10 a.m.-noon; from 2 p.m.-3 p.m.; from 5 p.m.-6 p.m.; and from 10 p.m.-midnight. This emerging pattern of food consumption is parallel to the timing of meals.
Meals are principally consumed at home or at restaurants. However, up to 15 percent of the French eat lunch at their desks at work even if there is a company cafeteria. In that case, people -- who include many women and wealthy executives -- bring food from home or from a carry-out close to their workplace.
Approximately 55 percent of food consumption outside of meals occurs at the workplace. The main foods consumed are drinks, cookies and fruits. The traditional image of the lonely and compulsive nibbler does not apply to French snackers at work. To the contrary, eating between meals is part of the social life of the office and is tied to the social links of the staff. The only time food is often eaten outside of meals and away from the office is at home between 10 p.m. and midnight when people eat desserts they did not consume at dinner.
Habits Have Changed, But Not Standards
Whether French consumers admit it or not, their behavior is not what it once was. They eat the traditional, three structured meals per day less often and are likely to eat lighter meals and nibble at work and at home instead.
Although 62 percent of French consumers surveyed believe a real meal consists of a starter, a main course, cheese and dessert, only 53 percent eat a traditionally structured lunch, and only 40 percent eat a traditionally structured dinner. Similarly, 81 percent of consumers think that eating between meals can be a problem or is clearly unhealthy, but 75 percent also admit to doing so.
Lunch remains the most structured meal, whereas dinner tends to be simplified to a meal without a starter (33 percent), without a main course (10 percent) or with only one component (11 percent). About 19 percent of consumers skip meals: 5 percent skip breakfast, 6 percent skip lunch and 8 percent skip dinner. It appears that the increased frequency of food consumption between meals makes consumption at mealtime less compulsory. Only 23 percent of those surveyed eat three meals per day.
While many consumers in this cuisine-absorbed nation find it hard to admit that their eating habits have changed, two groups of consumers -- whose behavior is totally opposite from one another -- remain consistent to their standards.
The first group (32 percent) are traditional consumers who eat two structured meals per day in addition to breakfast. These consumers are mainly men and workers who live in average and large cities. The other group (21 percent) are "modern consumers" who eat two simplified meals a day in addition to breakfast. Most are women and employees or executives living in Paris and other major cities.
U.S. Snack Foods Can
Satisfy French Nibblers
Snack foods and drinks are in high demand at the workplace since this is where the French do most of their nibbling. Sweet rather than salty products are preferred. Those with market potential include cookies; nuts such as pistachios, pecans, walnuts and hazelnuts; dried fruits such as raisins and prunes; candies, ice creams and soft drinks.
More vending machines in office buildings would help meet the growing demand for snacks. For example, the Paris Metro recently installed vending machines in many stations. They have become very successful.
In addition, prepared meals and snacks are in demand for lunchtime at the office. Both sweet and salty products eaten either hot or cold such as tortilla chips, salsa, guacamole, chili, wild rice, popcorn, dried meats and the products mentioned above are likely to have potential.
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The author is an agricultural economist at FAS' Agricultural Affairs Office in the U.S. Embassy in Paris, France. Tel.: (011-33-1) 4312-2277; Fax: (011-33-1) 4312-2662; E-mail: 106112.374@compuserve.com.
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