As shopping becomes a time consuming activity, the shoppers behave differently during the year, the season, the week or the day. It depends really on the situation and therefor the shopping centres should stay abreast of trends affecting the dwell time.
Eating out is one of them and it seems that American customers tend to be more positive eating (survey) out than Scandinavians, but the trend is anyway increasing in both markets. CBRE launched their report of 22 countries across EMEA (Europe, Middel East and Africa) and 22,000 consumers that showed that 41% preferred to eat in a shopping centres.
Fast fashion and fast food are what consumers tend to embrace and the last 10 years, cooking has become fashion. Chef’s becomes TV stars giving us inspirational TV programmes presenting global food and we tend to be more curious and willing to try new flavours and tastes.
But knowing exactly what within food that appeal to time-starved consumers carts and kiosk may be the way to connect new trends to the local customer in each market.I had the pleasure of visiting the Spitafield market in London and the amount of possible choices I had at lunchtime surprised me. I could eat either in the restaurants or at the food court where several kiosk in old cars served Thai Noodles, Spanish tapas, Empanadas de Pino a typically Chilean fast food.
The cupcake trolley managed to tempt the dessert stomach and the coffee maker was an Italian barista in a caravan. The whole experience made me realise that I ate my way through different continents and I felt less captured by one taste.
