Research: 57% Brits watch TV with evening meals
July 2, 2024
Ahead of the launch of UKTV’s new U streaming platform on July 16th, research from UKTV shows that Britain is a nation of TV addicts – with three and a half weeks a year spent in front of the television, the equivalent of four and a half years across an average adult’s lifetime. What’s more, over half (57 per cent) of all evening meals are eaten whilst watching TV.
When it comes to TV dining habits, 95 per cent of Brits admit to having eaten dinner in front of the TV. Even the beloved Sunday roast is susceptible to being eaten in front of the box, with more than a third (36 per cent) of Brits admitting to having done so at least once in the past year whilst one in five (19 per cent) admit to watching TV during their Christmas dinner.
A quarter (27 per cent) of respondents who took part in a study of 2,000 adults admitted they eat a meal in front of the TV every single day, with the average person watching an hour and 40 minutes of television daily.
Changing viewing habits mean that the TV dinner isn’t always on the sofa, almost half (49 per cent) will try and catch TV on their phone or tablet wherever they’re eating, if they cannot get in front of the TV. More than half (51 per cent) of those polled believe watching TV pairs well with eating dinner, and with three in ten (30 per cent) Brits inspired to adapt their dinner to what they’re watching on TV.
According to the study, the top dilemmas when making TV choices include; the mood they’re in when watching (52 per cent), the length of the programme (47 per cent) and the genre of the show (47 per cent). Over three-quarters (77 per cent) of Brits admit to re-watching a favourite show, sometimes as many as five times.
Sticking with the theme of the study, UKTV has announced its TV Dinners for U restaurant is opening in London later this month. UKTV has teamed up with food scientist Dr Stuart Farrimond to curate a menu of dishes to enhance the viewing experience of shows that are available on the service.
Guests can choose a number of shows to watch including brand new entertainment show, Battle in the Box, based on a hit Korean format, which sees pairs of comics and celebrities battle it out for pride, prizes and most importantly, floorspace.
Food science expert Farrimond began by identifying five genres available on U and spent multiple hours and tested dozens of recipes and possible flavour combinations to perfect the menu. Farrimond’s findings include:
- Factual & Real Life – with calming foods that aid clear thinking
- Entertainment & Comedy – a mood-boosting menu for sharing
- Action-adventure Shows – intense flavours for added excitement
- Comforting Classics – comforting foods that feel familiar
- Crime Drama – food to evoke intrigue and concentration
Farrimond said: “The fact that TV dinners were invented in the 1950s is testament to how, for as long as televisions have been in our homes, we have eaten in front of them. The combination of good food and a great TV show offers an immersive escape and a multisensory experience that Brits love to enjoy. By applying the latest flavour science research to the selection of TV shows available on the free streaming platform U, I have devised meals that, whether you’re watching a comforting classic or edge-of-your-seat crime drama, are designed to intensify and enhance the TV viewing experience. ”
Penny Brough, Chief Marketing Officer, UKTV added: “We’re a self-confessed nation of TV addicts, who love nothing more than watching our favourite shows during dinner. With our TV Dinners For U restaurant, we’re taking this moment of enjoyment to the next level, combining U’s extraordinary range of free quality content with a science enhanced food menu to create a truly unique, and first of its kind, immersive dining-viewing experience. After all, great quality television that people truly love deserves great food.”
U’s TV Dinners restaurant will be open to the public on July 17th in London’s Holborn.