UK | Changing morning routines have reshaped breakfast habits, with a third working during breakfast, combining meals with meetings or "Zoom and cereal" sessions.
Some consider breakfast the 'most important meal of the day', fuelling the body and a chance for families to sit down together. However, a new study has found that the traditional leisurely family breakfast has become a thing of the past.
The research came from Kellogg’s, which polled 2,000 British adults for its ‘Great British Breakfast Audit’, commissioned to mark the launch of a new campaign featuring its iconic mascot, Cornelius the cockerel.
Over half of the respondents ate breakfast alone, while 48 percent devoted less than ten minutes to making and eating their morning meal. This shift can be attributed to changing work patterns over recent years, with 45 percent who ate alone saying their family had a staggered start.
Four in ten grabbed breakfast on the go during their morning commute, while one in eight admitted skipping breakfast altogether. Gen Z ate breakfast on the go the most, three times a week on average.
Three-quarters multi-tasked during breakfast, either with work, emails, scrolling social media feeds or sorting the kids out for school.
Despite the new trend of waking up between 5 and 9 am for ‘me time’ before the 9 to 5 workday, half of the respondents’ breakfasts were delayed by hitting the snooze button for a longer lie-in.
A sleepy 28 percent pressed 'snooze' twice or more, with the average snooze time being 12 minutes each morning. This rose to 60 percent of those aged 18 to 24, as younger adults were even more likely to struggle waking up.
Across the UK, a third skipped going to the gym or making the bed, and one in five preferred to have an extra few minutes of sleep than have a shower. Over a third of the population had gone for over three days without a shower to get some extra sleep.
The most consistent aspect of British breakfast culture was the food many reached for was tried and trusted. An overwhelming 68 percent of British adults reported eating the same meal at least four times a week, with a quarter eating the same breakfast daily.
Cereal was the most common choice, followed by toast and a full English breakfast, and Northerners were more likely to take tea at breakfast, while Southerners preferred coffee.
The research found that half of Brits identified as a “morning person,” with men more likely than women to call themselves early risers. Interestingly, London had the highest percentage of self-proclaimed ‘morning people’.
Across the nation, 44 percent agreed that their morning routine set them up for success. The study found that watching breakfast TV, listening to the radio and being in a quiet space without media were the favoured ways that people set themselves up for a good day. Over one in ten Gen Z-ers favoured meditation.
A quarter avoided social media in the morning due to its potential to negatively affect their mood and stress levels, and one in five actively avoided the news because it was too bleak.
Lack of time was cited as the primary source of morning stress, followed by personal worries and family responsibilities.
Regarding chatting at the breakfast table, the British obsession with the weather remained as strong as ever, followed by discussions about current events. At the same time, 36 percent admitted never speaking to anyone at breakfast, and for 24 percent, the morning meal afforded a 'quiet space' free from digital devices.
“These findings show just how unique our mornings are. Our Great British Breakfast Audit reveals that while some of us prefer quick and on-the-go, others rely on breakfast as peaceful ‘me’ time,” said Emily Dutton, Brand Activation Manager at Kellogg’s.
“Kellogg’s has been waking people up since 1906 - we ‘get’ mornings. It’s never been clearer that we all need ‘you do you’ time to start the day off right, and our audit shows that our morning habits are just as diverse as our breakfast choices.”
Following the study, Cornelius the cockerel, Kellogg’s beloved mascot since 1958, has recently been reimagined in 3D for the first time in a new campaign, ‘See you in the morning,’ which celebrates the unique ways everyone approaches mornings.
