Dinner_Timeshift.knit

Since the pandemic, consumers in many European countries have become ‘early-birds’ by doing things earlier – in the day, week and year. Changes to working habits, most notably the increase in homeworking, as well as the rise in prominence of online shopping, have allowed consumers to adapt their consumption behaviour to suit their diaries.

Early-bird dinners are becoming more popular, with related evening-time activities like cinema showings moving earlier too as consumers take advantage of more flexible schedules. In the week, consumers are now prioritising trips to the grocery store on Mondays and Tuesdays rather than the weekend, which traditionally were the busiest days pre-pandemic. Similarly, holiday shopping happens earlier in the year than in the past.

In the latest of our latest ‘Did you know?’ series, we use aggregated and anonymised Mastercard data, including Mastercard SpendingPulse™, which measures in-store and online retail sales across all forms of payment, to look at how consumers have adapted shopping behaviours across the day, the week and the year.

Early-bird dinners are on the rise

In 2024, consumers in Europe are dining out earlier than they were in 2019, according to the average time of restaurant card payment transactions. The time shift ranges from 11 minutes earlier in Hungary, Switzerland and Denmark, to nearly 20 minutes earlier in Austria.
Why are people eating dinner earlier? More people working from home means fewer employees commuting to the workplace every day, which has granted consumers more flexibility in arranging after-work activities.
Another reason could be the increased importance that people are placing on their health and wellness since the pandemic. Europeans are going to sleep earlier, are sleeping for longer and more efficiently now than compared to 2019¹. Google search trend data show that globally, online searches for “self-care” have soared since the pandemic.
Earlier dinner times are not only true of dine-in restaurants. Average purchase times at fast food outlets have also shifted earlier in the evening, although by a lesser degree than dine-in restaurants. After-dinner activities, like going to bars, pubs or cinemas, also show earlier average transaction times.

Source: Mastercard Economics Institute

Consumers are leaving the weekend open to experiences

Grocery shopping has shifted earlier in the week, too. Today, consumers are taking advantage of flexible working hours by shopping for food on the relatively quieter days of Monday and Tuesday, compared to peak days over the weekend, traditionally reserved for the weekly food haul.
Similarly, consumers have moved their ‘self-care’ appointments and activities earlier in the week. Activities like gym sessions, hair & beauty appointments and even spa days are increasingly done on weekdays in 2024, compared to the weekends in 2019, facilitated by hybrid work. In Italy, the share of groceries bought in the week, compared to the weekend, increased by 2.3 percentage points. Similarly, in Denmark, the share of hair and beauty appointments, as well as trips to the gym made in the week, have increased by 3.4 and 3.5 percentage points respectively.
By shifting hair appointments, gym sessions and grocery shopping to the week, consumers are freeing up the weekend for more experiential activities like bars and restaurants. In the United Kingdom and Sweden, the weekend share of restaurant spend has increased by 3.2 and 3.4 percentage points, respectively.

Source: Mastercard Economics Institute

Throughout our ‘Did you know?’ series, we have looked under the hood of consumer spending to show how households shift their consumption to suit their needs in an ever-changing economic environment. On extreme heat days during the European summer, consumers adapt by shopping online. Holidaymakers shift their mix of travel times, modes and destinations to make their budgets work. Finally, disruptions to working patterns and a more health-conscious population have moved shopping earlier – in the day, the week and the year.

To learn more about economic insights from the Mastercard Economics Institute, contact your Mastercard representative or request a demo.

Notes & Disclaimer

About the Mastercard Economics Institute

Mastercard Economics Institute launched in 2020 to analyze macroeconomic trends through the lens of the consumer. A team of economists, analysts and data scientists draws on Mastercard insights - including Mastercard SpendingPulse™ - and third-party data to deliver regular reporting on economic issues for key customers, partners and policymakers.

Disclaimer

This Mastercard Economics Institute presentation (This "Presentation") and content or portions thereof may not be accessed, downloaded, copied, modified, distributed, used or published in any form or media, except as authorized by Mastercard. This presentation and content are intended solely as a research tool for informational purposes and not as investment advice or recommendations for any particular action or investment and should not be relied upon, in whole or in part, as the basis for decision-making or investment purposes. This presentation and content are not guaranteed as to accuracy and are provided on an "as is" basis to authorized users, who review and use this information at their own risk. This presentation and content, including estimated economic forecasts, simulations or scenarios from the Mastercard Economics Institute, do not in any way reflect expectations for (or actual) Mastercard operational or financial performance.

Did you know?

Early-bird dinners are on the rise

Consumers are leaving the weekend open to experiences

Notes & Disclaimer

About the Mastercard Economics Institute

Disclaimer

Footnotes