Food delivery and out-of-home dining are thriving in China

China is one of the world’s largest e-commerce economies, but that doesn’t mean people are only opting to consume in the comfort of their homes.

In fact, a study by consultancy Bain and Company and Kantar Worldpanel found that the growth rate of FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) home consumption is only tepid compared to the strong growth of dining out.

According to that 2017 China shopper report, released on Tuesday, dining out and food delivery are seeing robust growth with Chinese consumers, who have traditionally cooked at home.

The results revealed that while the value of food purchased for in-home meal preparation grew by only 3 percent annually from 2013 to 2016, food delivery rose by 44 percent and dining out grew by 10 percent over the same period.

“You can still have family lunches and dinners at home but there is so much variety of delicious food that is available at 30 minutes from where you live or where you work, why would you bother cooking at home?” said Bruno Lannes, partner in Bain’s Greater China Consumer Products Practice.

The study analyzed responses from a panel of 40,000 households and 4,000 individuals in tier 1 and tier 2 cities.

The report’s findings this year are a continuation of a “two-speed” trend identified last year, said Lannes.

In the case of dining, it’s “high-speed dining out and delivery versus low-speed home cooking” and this divergence will present new opportunities and strategies for food businesses, the report added.