On-the-go meal options are gaining traction, particularly among younger consumers in Europe. In a recent McKinsey survey, 77 percent of Gen Z shoppers and 72 percent of millennials purchase on-the-go food at least once a month, compared with 57 percent of Gen Xers and 33 percent of baby boomers, note Senior Partner Daniel Läubli and coauthors. As the share of consumers who opt not to cook grows, grocers have an opportunity to regain market share from food service companies.
Image description:
A stacked bar chart displays the consumption of ready-to-eat/grab-and-go fresh meals by European consumers in 2025, broken down by generation. The chart shows the percentage of respondents who consume these meals with varying frequencies: less than once a month or never; 1–3 times a month; and once a week or more. For Gen Z, 42% of respondents reported consuming these meals once a week or more, 35% reported 1–3 times a month, and 23% reported less than once a month or never. Among millennials, 37% consumed these meals once a week or more, 35% 1–3 times a month, and 28% less than once a month or never. For Gen X, the percentages were 27% (once a week or more), 30% (1–3 times a month), and 43% (less than once a month or never). Finally, among baby boomers, 12% consumed these meals once a week or more, 21% 1–3 times a month, and 67% less than once a month or never. The chart also includes annotations showing the total percentage for each generation: 77% for Gen Z, 72% for millennials, 57% for Gen X, and 33% for baby boomers.
Note: This image description was completed with the assistance of Writer, a gen AI tool.
Source: McKinsey Consumer Survey 2025 (n = 14,543, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, UK, sample to match general population age 18 and above.
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To read the report, see “The State of Grocery Retail Europe 2025,” April 8, 2025.