An accomplished psychologist from Lleida, now widowed, recalls a summer day when her mother asked who these Glovo delivery people were the daughter kept mentioning. The mother, staying at Núria’s home, was puzzled by the nightly visits from delivery riders carrying pizzas, burgers, or Chinese noodles. The family said they were on vacation, and cooking felt like a chore with the kids around, so they asked for dinner several times a week. Sometimes they would head out for a kebab or sushi and bring it home instead.
Sixteen percent of meals Spaniards prepared outside the home in 2023 were made away from the kitchen, either as takeout or enjoyed in bars and restaurants, according to the Spain food consumption report published by the Ministry of Agriculture in June last year. The same report notes that overall food consumption fell by about 0.7 percent from 2022, and that inside and outside the home nearly thirty-one billion kilos of food were purchased, which equates to roughly six hundred eighty-five kilos of food and beverages per person, a level lower than before the pandemic. The data come from a government survey compiled for the Agriculture Ministry, drawing on INE figures reported on January 1, 2024.
The shift toward smaller households, including young and independent adults, childless couples, and retirees, helped explain the drop in consumption, even as the overall figure rose by 243,868 units in the last year. The Agriculture Ministry’s analysis, based on INE data, shows that one- and two-person households are growing fastest, while four-person households show the least growth.
The Small Luxury of Dining Out
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That is what Marta is noticing at home. A couple of years ago, a family of four used to eat together, but now it is just her and her husband, and they allow themselves to dine out more often. They no longer bother cooking for two every night. The administrative professional, nearing retirement, and her partner enjoy stable incomes and have learned to treat themselves after years dedicated to family life. They exemplify what is called the silver generation, a growing segment that will increasingly shape the economy as the baby-boomers reach retirement.
There comes a point when having everything feels enough, and they may choose to do things they have not done before. For instance, they have decided not to replace a car as soon as it starts showing wear; they might rent one for a vacation or borrow one from a brother in case of emergencies. They also see potential in renting out their parking space to generate a small extra income.
Another noticeable shift is in online shopping habits. A recent Amazon study indicates that younger shoppers, those aged eighteen to twenty-four, are buying less online and are more attentive to promotions when they do shop online. Ipsos Digital, in a study prepared for this purpose, found that a significant share of this age group has tightened spending and is guided by deals, even when ordering digitally.
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