Top 20 BBQ Facts
BBQ Fact 1
BBQ & at-home eating & entertaining is now the UK’s No1 summer home leisure activity, with three out of four households now owning some type of BBQ grill!
BBQ Fact 2
In 2018 the UK the tied for equal first place with German as Europe’s leading BBQ nations, hosting approximately 135 million Barbi’s each!
BBQ Fact 3
The average number of BBQ’s held per family during the summer has risen sharply from around 2.5 around ten years ago to over 10 in 2018!
BBQ Fact 4
The overall at-home alfresco eating & entertaining plus BBQ market was worth just over £7.6 billion in 2018, up from £150 million back in 1997.
BBQ Fact 5
Standard pre-planned BBQ’s are changing fast, as lifestyles become more casual. Down from 70% in 2002 to fewer than 21% in 2018.
BBQ Fact 6
After-work or mid-week Barbi’s now account for over 39% of all BBQ occasions, although this is down from a high of 48% in 2015 and probably due to consumers being more time-poor!
BBQ Fact 7
Although BBQ & alfresco eating has now become a standard alternative summer meal format with nearly half the population now considering it as normal to BBQ or eat outside during the summer. However paradoxically and perhaps as a continuing hangover from the tighter economy and the effects of the continuing Brexit uncertainty, alfresco eating occasions are still perceived to be an indulgence or treat, with 33% likening BBQ to a dinner party in terms of entertainment value!
BBQ Fact 8
Once male dominated BBQ’s are now becoming much more gender-neutral with women accounting for 46% of all Barbi occasions, whilst men are still tangling with the tongs, they have slipped by 6% over the last three years to 54% in 2018.
BBQ Fact 9
Couples are 3 times more likely to host a BBQ than singles, only 4% of pensioners are likely to have a Barbi. 33% of men and 32% of women now attend over 10 BBQ’s a year, with 8% of adults claiming to have found love over the coals!
BBQ Fact 10
Apart from the summer 24% of us now have BBQ’s during the spring, with a further 5% claiming to BBQ all year-round and 190k claiming to have BBQ’ed their Xmas dinner!
BBQ Fact 11
Both Americans and Australians love to Barbi with 3 out of 4 households owning a grill and using it on average at least 5 times a month. With both claiming to be the World’s Best BBQ’ers!
BBQ Fact 12
The move towards vegetarian and vegan food choices, has also naturally evolved into the BBQ and at-home alfresco eating market as well, with over 31% of all BBQ’s now including either a full or partial vegetarian or vegan option.
BBQ Fact 13
Equally over the last few years there has been a clear swing towards gastro-grilling with a ‘sausage to swordfish and burger to brochette’ evolution in the style and type of food cooked at a BBQ.
BBQ Fact 14
Despite times still being tough, many consumers are now indulging themselves as a way of ‘lightening the load’ and will now spend around £42 on food and drink for a BBQ, up from £15 just five years ago!
BBQ Fact 15
Despite the slow economic recovery and probably due to ongoing Brexit uncertainty, BBQ and at-home alfresco eating & entertaining remains a fashionable and cheaper alternative to a visit to the local pub or restaurant.
BBQ Fact 16
17% of all households now have 2 BBQ grills and 9% 3 or more. Traditional US ‘smoker’ BBQ’s are now in 7% of all homes. 5% of all households now have some form of outdoor kitchen.
BBQ Fact 17
Charcoal although previously having been in decline, however in line with the trend towards more traditional and slower BBQ styles is now seeing a resurgence standing at 49% in 2017 up from 37% two years ago. However, Gas remains just the most popular at 51%.
BBQ Fact 18
Hooded BBQ’s are now the most popular, accounting for 46% of all sales, followed by Flat-bed grills remain most popular, with rotary grills and smokers growing fast.
BBQ Fact 19
US Style Lo&Slo smoking has become very fashionable with pulled pork being especially popular. Hot and spicy food regions such as South African, the Caribbean, Mexico, North African and Southern US styles such as Cajun & Creole, are also becoming more popular on the Barbi as are South America styles as a direct result of 2017 Olympics in Brazil!
BBQ Fact 20
As new house building begins to pick-up again, developers are incorporating patio areas and built-in BBQ’s as key purchase incentives, with some even including outdoor kitchens in more above £1m properties.