Convenience foods on the rise

01/05/2007 00:00

EACH resident in the Balearic Islands consumes 10.72 kilogrammes of convenience food per year, according to a study done by the National Institute for Consumers entitled The trends of consumers and consumption in the 21st century.

The report also revealed that the Spanish consume nearly 500 million kilos of convenience foods annually, 10.07 kilos per person, costing them 39.93 euros per year. The report further indicated that the consumption of frozen and precooked foods increased by 1.7 percent in 2006 and predicted that the demand would continue to rise during the next few years, as less and less time is being spent on the buying a cooking of food.

According to the report, pizza is the star meal, but there is a trend towards home made stews, vegetable dishes and soya based food, which are healthier as well as being quick and convenient.

The top three regions where the consumption of convenience foods is greatest are: Cataluña, with 13.38 kilos per person; Madrid with 12.55 kilos per person; and La Rioja with 12.35.

At the other end of the scale are Galicia with 6.37 kilos per person, and Navarra with 6.89.
In the middle are the Balearics with 10.72 kilos per person, Aragon with 10.38, Valencia with 9.95, the Canaries with 9.93, Castilla La Mancha with 8.54, Extremadura with 8.32, the Basque region with 8.23, Cantabria with 8.28, and Asturias with 7.83.