How are we feeding the family? Do we cook fresh meals or go for the quick fix products?

Mums Tips

Feeding the Family

Published on Monday, 03 February 2014 12:19

Last Updated on 02 February 2014

Monica Costa

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Lazy Brits or crazy? It is a sad trend but it is worth mentioning. I am all in favour for traditions whereby meals are cooked fresh, things get recycled and there is little to no waste in the household. However we lead a very hectic and busy lifestyle especially in London and that means quick fixes for everything.

I will keep campaigning to back traditional and more human ways of life but meantime check out the shocking results of this new research by ‘Product of the Year’, the UK’s largest independent survey into product innovation with 11,947 consumers voting in a survey conducted by TNS.

This year’s survey reveals Brits’ desire for an easy life. Self-cooking meals, instant hair wash pills and ‘minus calorie’ food are the household products of the future.

The survey challenged almost 12,000 consumers to identify what futuristic household products they will be buying in 10 years time and their views on today’s most innovative products on the market. The results have determined the winners of the annual Product of the Year awards – which celebrated its 10 year anniversary in the UK last Thursday – and help to advise fellow shoppers on the most innovative and exciting products on the supermarket shelves.

Hyper-convenience topped the list of attributes that will shape the household products of the future, with idle Brits declaring their desire for quick fix solutions that save them time and effort. Nearly one in two people (46%) are on the hunt for food that’s hot as soon as it’s opened, 38% crave an instant hair wash pill that prevents hair from getting greasy and therefore reducing the need for washing and over a third of people fantasized about a ‘hoverbrella’ which hovers over your head and doesn’t need to be held (36%).

The results also reveal that Brits are even looking for a quick fix solution when it comes to their health. Not prepared to take their health into their own hands, nearly two fifths of people want healthy meal-building scanners that instantly build a menu tailored to their needs, whilst over a third of people confessed that ‘minus calorie’ food was their dream product of the future.
Consumer demand for guilt-free, ultra-healthy food is further shown by the increasingly popular move towards low sugar and low calorie foods, with consumers voting for a number of low sugar versions of the nation’s favourite brands as the most innovative products of 2014.

Amongst a list of the strangest ideas suggested for new product innovations was aerosol ham. Nearly one fifth (16%) of respondents stated that they would like to try the as yet uninvented ham-in-a-can and 5% even declared it to be the ‘next big thing’ in 2024. Even stranger suggestions included odourless fish, bottled air, tinned lettuce and instant water.

Crazy or lazy? What do you think? Space for your comments is below.

While the results of this survey are alarming, check out how a group of London Mums enjoyed the glam Product of the Year Awards 2014 Ceremony.