With the weather getting warmer and summer days getting longer, food experts at Tropical Sun have released a new study focusing on BBQ trends in the UK.

A study of 2,000 respondents conducted via OnePoll revealed that nearly one in ten (8%) of fun-loving Brits host regular BBQs regardless of the season. The research also revealed that one in three (29%) Brits enjoy BBQs so much that they would still attend one in rainy weather. One in five (22%) would still commit to hosting a BBQ regardless of bad weather.

When it comes to frequency, the majority of the population (42%) have on average 2-3 BBQs per year. Nearly one in three (28%) have 5-6 BBQs per year while one in ten (11%) have 6-10 BBQs. It was also revealed that Gen Z are hosting BBQs more often than any other age group, with 22% having on average 6-10 BBQs a year.

The study also revealed that nearly one in five (17%) Brits prefer hosting a BBQ, while half of Brits (47%) prefer attending a BBQ. Surprisingly, men (20%) are more likely to prefer hosting a BBQ, compared to only 14% of women. Millennials (19%) were revealed as the age group who are the most likely to prefer hosting.

A surprising finding that may give singletons hope this summer is that 5% of couples (1 in 20) met their partner at a BBQ, proving there's still potential for making connections organically and away from the dating apps.

According to the study results, the majority of Brits spend under £100 on BBQ food. 31% of Brits manage to host a budget BBQ gathering paying £21-50, while 13% of Brits are comfortable with splashing out £101-150 on a single BBQ.

Sausages were crowned as the nation’s favourite BBQ staple with 62% people choosing it as their preferred grilling food. Meat burgers (59%) and chicken pieces (29%) rounded out the top choice BBQ foods in the UK.

The UK’s Favourite BBQ foods:
1.Sausages - 62%
2.Meat burgers - 59%
3.Chicken pieces - 29%
4.Meat skewers/kebabs - 22%
5.Chicken breast - 18%
6.Steak - 15%
7.Vegetable skewers - 13%
8.Grilling cheese - 12%
9.Beef/pork ribs - 10%
10.Lamb/pork chops - 9%
11.Veggie burgers - 9%
12.Meat-free sausages - 7%
13.Fish & shellfish - 6%
14.Vegan burgers - 5%
15.Portobello mushrooms - 4%

When it comes to the main reasons for hosting a BBQ, sunny weather (73%) came out as the top motivator. Birthday celebrations (58%), bank holidays (49%), watching a sporting event (26%) and showing off a new home or renovation (10%) rounded out the top five most popular reasons for hosting a BBQ. 6% of Brits admitted they host BBQs so they can share photos on social media.

Other key findings from the survey:

- Over one in ten Brits (13%) have made new friends at BBQs
- Men (17%) are more likely to make friends at the BBQ that women (10%)
- 1 in 5 (20%) single people have made friends at a BBQ
- Nearly one in ten men (8%) met their partner at a BBQ compared to 2% of women
- Men are more likely to host a BBQ to show off home renovations than women, with 12% of men claiming to do so compared to 8% of women
- Men (8%) are more likely to host a BBQ so they can put pictures on social media than women (4%)
- 17% of men won't invite someone to their BBQ if that person previously failed to extend an invite to them. Only 11% of women feel the same way
- 32% of men host BBQs to watch sporting events
- 16% of 25-34 year olds host BBQs to share photos on social media
- Nearly half (44%) of Brits expect guests to bring their own drinks to a BBQ while 25% expect guests to bring food
- One in five (19%) believe a BBQ should be done by men
- Nearly one in ten (8%) expect their guests to contribute money toward the BBQ they are hosting
- 12% of men think guests should contribute toward the BBQ costs compared to 5% of women
- 15% of Brits expect guests to help clean up after the BBQ
- 20% of men expect guests to clean up after the BBQ compared to 12% of women
- Gen Z and Millennials are the age groups least likely to invite neighbours to their BBQ compared to Gen X and Boomers
- Nearly 1 in 5 (18%) 25-34 year olds don’t want kids at their BBQs
- 25-34 year olds (9%) are more likely to favour vegan burgers than any other age group. They are followed by 6% of 18-24 year olds
- Coleslaw is the nation’s favourite BBQ side, followed by leafy salad and potato salad
- Tomato ketchup (84%), mayonnaise (75%), BBQ sauce (69%), mustard (55%) and burger sauce (43%) are the top must-have sauces at a British BBQ
- BBQ (28%), Honey Mustard (12%), Piri Piri (12%), Cajun (7%) and Teriyaki (5%) are the UK’s favourite BBQ seasonings
- The most recreated international cuisines at a BBQ are Greek, Caribbean and Indian

Sinan Jefferies, Brand Manager at Tropical Sun said: ‘’ With BBQ season upon us, we’ve taken a deep dive into British BBQ habits, not only the foods but the cultures and expectations around hosting a cookout. Every Brit will tell you that weather is a big factor, but likely less of us will be as aware of all the other secret ingredients that go towards putting on a successful BBQ. Hopefully our study can shed a little firelight on the subject – and help our fellow Brits make the most out of our unpredictable, often short-lived summer!’’


About
Famous for their spices, hot sauces and other international delights, Tropical Sun was founded in 1996: the same year that the Spice Girls told us all to ‘Spice up Your Life!’ Coincidence?! Their products are widely stocked in independent retailers nationwide, as well as the World Food aisles of all major UK supermarkets including Asda, Sainsburys and Tesco. To find out more about this Great British Success Story visit: https://tropicalsunfoods.com/pages/our-story.


Credit
Please credit this research to Tropical Sun https://tropicalsunfoods.com/blogs/our-blog/bbq-trends-in-th...



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