Men are spending slightly more than women on food, according to a new survey commissioned by UK fresh prepared foods group Geest.

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While the overall spend on food has risen slightly from £335 (US$591.5) per person during May 2005 to £342, men are now spending £343 (up £15 on last quarter) whereas women are spending £341, £1 less than last quarter.


The majority of ‘food pounds’ are spent at the supermarket, with men now shelling out £214 on the monthly shop (up £20 on last quarter) compared with women’s £218 (up £4 on last quarter). The second largest expenditure is on eating out, with men spending £29 per month and women £28 a month.


The large supermarket shop is supplemented with top up purchases of items such as bread, milk and fresh vegetables, which sets Brits back a further £24 a month, whilst additional top up purchases for a special event, such as a dinner party, cost another £21 a month.


Perhaps unsurprisingly, men are still the biggest spenders on take aways, forking out £19 for a quick feed compared with £13 for women. Items from specialist shops such as butchers, bakers and delicatessens account for another £10 a month.

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Food bought on the go such as lunches at work and snacks like crisps, fruit and chocolate amount to a further £20 or so a month (£10 on lunch and £10 on snacks).


“We know that family dynamics are changing and that the days of mum doing all the shopping and cooking all the time are long gone, but it was a real eye-opener to discover that men are now actually spending more on food than women,” said Adrian Pickett, head of marketing at Geest.