Brits top the polls for eating out

British people eat fewer meals at home than anyone else in Europe, according to a new survey.

UK consumers spent £11.6bn on food bought in pubs, restaurants and shops last year - a figure expected to rise to £13.4bn in the next five years - which is good news for pubs.

The report, by market analysts Datamonitor, claims the rise in out-of-home eating can be attributed to snacking.

"Eating between mealtimes is now fundamentally ingrained in Europeans' eating habits," the report says.

"Eating out of the home is also a strong feature of our eating habits and this is forecast to grow steadily over the next five years."

And it adds that the rise in out-of-home eating is a huge opportunity for pubs, restaurants and other caterers, as well as manufacturers.

"Retailers must meet consumers' demands for healthier snacks and also develop new meal-snack hybrids that match the way we eat today," it says.

Pubs are ideally placed to take advantage of both the rise in eating out of home and the increase in snacking as they can cater for those wanting a full meal and those who are popping in for a snack.

The surge in popularity of sharing plates and combo meals, highlighted by snack manufacturer Kitchen Range Foods in their category report last year, shows that pubs are already beginning to make the most of the opportunities on offer.

Nutrition and healthy eating is also an important part of modern eating habits, according to the report.

"There is an opportunity to position snacking as a regular and positive part of consumers' daily nutritional intake," the report adds.