45 percent of Brits avoid dining out due to food intolerance

Nearly half of Brits have admitted that food intolerances or specific dietary requirements prevent them from dining out.

Carried out by HelloFresh, the survey also found that 22 percent of respondents felt they did not have a satisfactory selection of restaurants catering to their specific dietary needs. However this opinion varied in Scotland and Wales, countries where there was a lower likelihood of rating local restaurants as inadequate in meeting their dietary requirements.

Meanwhile, one in eight respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the menu choices available to them, suggesting those living food hypersensitivity find it challenging to locate suitable and satisfying dining options.

Among the various food intolerances and dietary requirements, gluten emerged as the most prevalent, with 24 percent of respondents indicating intolerance to gluten. Dairy and shellfish followed closely behind, both accounting for 19 percent of reported intolerances.

“It’s a shame that in 2024 people still feel like they can’t eat out and enjoy themselves the same as those without intolerances. Though there appears to be a growing number of food preference/intolerance specific restaurants, it’s those that have a broader menu that need to cater to all so that families and friends can enjoy meals together,” explained Mimi Morley, Senior Recipe Development Manager with over a decade’s experience in the food industry, adds,

“Our study found that 24 percent of the UK have a gluten intolerance, and external data tells us that 6 percent of the UK are vegetarian and two percent vegan. Even now, those who want to experiment with the amount of meat they eat (flexitarian) has increased to 12 percent.”

What could Owen’s Law mean for the food industry?

Morley went on to share that she believes restaurants “need to up their game to be able to suit as many preferences as possible”, something she thinks will subsequently “benefit both their customers and themselves as a business”.

“Food subscription boxes have become a popular alternative to eating out for those who do have specific dietary requirements as they can be tailored to either one person or two families with different diets. They deliver restaurant quality meals in the comfort of your own home and this is what people need when they feel they don’t have the option to go out,” concluded Morley.