Brits have eaten 16.6 billion breakfasts over the past year, making breakfast the largest meal occasion in the home.

Consumption has risen steadily and is up 4% on 2007 levels. Breakfast occasions have increased year-on-year up 85 million in the past year compared to the previous 12 months. The at-home breakfast occasion is worth £7.4bn, or 44p per meal on average.

The core breakfast consumers are children, who account for 23% of breakfast occasions. Other than males aged 17 to 24 and over 65, and women aged 45 to 64, no consumer segments are eating fewer breakfasts now than a year ago. Since 2007, there has been a growth in healthier breakfast foods, such as fruit and yoghurts.

Consumers favour convenient breakfast cereals on weekdays cooked breakfasts are more likely to be eaten at weekends. 26% of breakfast goods are consumed for health reasons, but 'enjoyment' and 'filling' are increasingly common drivers. Cereal accounts for 53% of breakfasts.

Focus On Breakfast