How to become Gen Z’s favourite flavour: Food and Drink Report 2024

Across the next 6 months, students are set for a projected total monthly spend of £1BN on
food and drink. They’re high-frequency purchasers, which presents a huge opportunity for
your brand—align with their needs and motivations now to unlock lifetime loyalty.

Plus, with so many key events coming up on the student calendar, there’s no better time
than the present to supercharge your youth marketing strategy. But how?

Introducing the UNiDAYS Q4 Student Insight Report, packed with all the ingredients you
need to cook up a storm with Gen Z. Download the report to learn:

• Why price is still king for students
• What food and drink purchases they’re lining up in the coming months
• Where they need your support the most
• How to make your brand an irresistible treat for Gen Z

And that’s just the start. So, without further ado, let’s talk about students’ spending on food
and drink, as well as how you can make sure they’re putting their trust in your brand.

What does it take to win Gen Z over?

Students are high-frequency food and drink purchasers, but they’re also rather habitual.
Once they’ve formed loyalty with a brand, they’re likely to keep buying from the same place
each time across several categories, including:

1. Groceries - 81%
2. Hot drinks - 69%
3. Fast food restaurants - 68%
4. Takeaways - 63%
5. Breakfast - 61%
6. Lunch - 56%

More than 4 in 5 students buy their groceries from the same retailer every time, but 2 in 3
say they’d be persuaded to switch if another brand offered a discount of 20% or more on
their shopping. For restaurants, almost 70% of Gen Z would be tempted for the same
reason.

What does this mean? Well, put simply, Gen Z loyalty may not be easily won, but once
you’ve got them on your side, you’re set to keep their trust for their university years and far
beyond. So, what are the most pressing needs and motivations among students?

Lots of spending, but at what cost? The priority is price for things that taste nice

With an expected spend of £1BN across food and drink categories in the next 6 months, it’s
no surprise that Gen Z tops the spending in plenty of areas, including lunch out with friends
and takeaways. So, with so much purchasing power to play for, what should brands do to
secure students’ loyalty?

They’ve made it explicitly clear what their primary purchasing considerations are:

1. Price - 90%
2. Quality - 75%
3. Range of food/drink available - 65%
4. Location of store - 63%
5. Offers available - 57%

The price of food and drink is so important to students that they value it over the
convenience of buying their items in one place. Plus, of those who said convenience was
more important, many claimed a student discount of 20% or more would change their minds.

Get it while it’s hot

Gen Z is a demographic simply waiting to form brand loyalty, so make sure it’s with you.
They’re looking for great price and value, so it’s time to show them support and get them on
your side.

Partner with UNiDAYS to highlight your brand in front of a student audience of 29M+
members and gain actionable insights that will empower you to offer great deals on the right
products, at the right time.

For more on Gen Z in the coming months, including their overall sentiment, the holiday
season, side hustles and food & drink, download the Student Insight Report today.