This article was originally published in English
A study conducted in 16 European countries shows that people are going out to restaurants earlier than in 2019.
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In most European countries, People are going to restaurants slightly earlier than before the Covid-19 pandemicaccording to a new study by Mastercard.
The largest changes were observed in Austria (18 minutes earlier), Portugal (16 minutes) and Ireland (15 minutes).
On average, Europeans eat 10 minutes earlier than in 2019.
Bring forward your present dinner time several health benefits, including improved digestion, reduced cardiovascular risk and improved blood sugar levels.
Previous studies on post-COVID-19 eating habits have found that the pandemic has changed Europeans’ eating habits, with people now more likely to plan meals in advance and share them with their household members. Consumption of pre-prepared meals is also down.
“One of the reasons for this change is that we work more flexibly, so we have more control over our schedules and we can decide when we want to go to a restaurant”Natalia Lechmanova, chief economist for Europe at the Mastercard Economics Institute, told Euronews.
“In addition, European consumers are increasingly health conscious. They are prioritising sleep, going to bed earlier and sleeping longer.”she adds.
The study indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic has also induced a change in food purchasing habits.
On average, Europeans are now shopping earlier in the week – on traditionally quieter days like Monday and Tuesday – rather than on weekends, as was the case before the pandemic.
“Our data shows that these ‘early bird’ behaviors aren’t just trends – they reflect deeper shifts in how people prioritize time and experiences.”concludes Natalia Lechmanova.
