Out of Home Food Intake and Behaviours Among Adults Living in Scotland, 2025

Out-of-home (OOH) food and drink consumption is a routine component of diets in Scotland, with important implications for nutrition and health. This study provides a comprehensive, mixed-methods assessment of who eats OOH, how often, from which outlets, what motivates these behaviours, and how OOH food contributes to overall energy and nutrient intake. 

A two-phase study design was used. Phase 1 comprised a web questionnaire of 1,012 adults living in Scotland, followed by three 24-hour dietary recalls completed over the course of one week. Phase 2 comprised in-depth qualitative interviews with 35 participants purposively sampled to reflect low, moderate, and high OOH consumers. The Phase 1 sample slightly over-represented females and urban residents as compared to national data. Patterns of OOH food consumption should be interpreted with these caveats in mind.

Defining low, moderate, and high OOH consumption

Participants were classified as low, moderate, or high OOH consumers based on their reported frequency of using eight types of OOH food and drink (excluding alcohol) outlets in the past week. Overall, participants reported a mean of 7 OOH visits in the past week (median 6), with frequencies ranging from 0 to 46 visits. Based on the distribution of visits, participants were categorised as low OOH consumers (≤4 visits per week), moderate consumers (>4 to 7 visits), or high consumers (>7 visits), with similar sample sizes in each group. Low OOH consumers included 22 participants (2% of the sample) who did not consume OOH food or drink in the previous week.

OOH acquisition patterns

Food purchased “on the go” from ‘Supermarkets, convenience stores, and corner shops’ was the most common form of OOH, used by nearly 4 out of 5 respondents in the past week. ‘Quick-service restaurants/ takeaways’ such as McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King, Domino’s Pizza, Papa John’s, and independents (fish & chip, kebabs, etc.), were used more frequently than ‘Full-service restaurants’. Around one-third of respondents used food delivery apps, primarily for ready-to-eat meals rather than groceries. ‘Vending machines’ and ‘Pubs or bars’ were the least frequently used OOH outlets. High OOH consumers sourced food from a wide range of outlets, indicating a broad reliance on multiple OOH outlets rather than heavy use of a single outlet type.

Who are high OOH consumers?

High OOH consumers were younger and more likely to be male, single, and employed full-time. They were only slightly more likely to reside in urban areas. 

Contribution of OOH food and drink to overall diet

OOH food and drink contributed to 21% of total calories consumed and 20-23% of saturated fat, fibre, free sugars, and salt. 

High OOH consumers obtained nearly 30% of their energy intake from OOH sources, compared to 19% among moderate and 13% among low consumers, and a similar trend was seen across nutrients. In absolute terms, on average, high OOH consumers consumed more energy, fat, saturated fat, free sugars, and salt than low or moderate OOH consumers. 

The top contributors to OOH energy intake were:

• Sandwiches including rolls and wraps (13.6%)
• Pasta, rice and other miscellaneous cereals including pizza (10.6%)
• Chips, fried and roast potatoes and potato products (7.3%)
• Chicken and turkey dishes (7.0%)
• Buns, cakes, pastries and fruit pies (5.1%)
• Other milk and cream including milky coffees (5.1%)
• Meat pies and pastries including sausage rolls (4.2%)

Generally, ‘Sandwiches including rolls and wraps’, ‘Chips, fried and roast potatoes and potato products’, ‘Meat pies and pastries including sausage rolls’, and ‘Other milk and cream including milky coffees’ were more important contributors to OOH energy intake than overall energy intake from all sources (difference >2 percentage points). In contrast, ‘High fibre breakfast cereals’ and ‘Fruit’ were more important contributors to overall energy intake from all sources than OOH energy intake (difference >2 percentage points). 

Motivations for OOH consumption

Taste was the main motivation across all groups, rated as very or extremely important by over three-quarters of respondents. However, motivations related to convenience, such as saving time, ease of access, being able to eat on the move, and avoiding cooking, were also rated very or extremely important. These factors were especially important among high OOH consumers. Treat and reward motivations and socialising were also important but varied less by OOH usage level. Cost considerations, particularly low price, were generally less influential than convenience and taste, although value for money remained relevant. 

Qualitative findings also showed that most OOH occasions were low-key, everyday events rather than special occasions. Convenience dominated decision-making, with OOH food used to save time, reduce effort, and manage busy schedules. OOH food also served emotional and social functions, including rewarding oneself, lifting mood, and facilitating connection with others. High OOH consumers described eating out as normalised and habitual, moderate consumers framed it as a planned break from home cooking, and low consumers reserved it for special occasions. Cost and cleanliness were the most common concerns while eating OOH, while health was rarely a primary barrier, though many participants expressed a desire to reduce frequency or make healthier choices if affordability, availability, and information improved.

Conclusion 

OOH food and drink play a central role in everyday eating in Scotland and contribute to overall dietary intake, particularly among younger (16-34y), working adults and men. The findings strengthen the case for a comprehensive OOH approach that explicitly includes retail grab-and-go foods, meal deals, in-store hot food counters and delivery platforms, alongside clearer nutrient benchmarks, portion size guidance, reformulation targets and default healthier options. The private sector, from supermarket grocery retailers to independent cafés to multinational fast-food chains, plays a critical role in improving local food environments to make it easier for people across Scotland to make healthier choices. Given that taste and convenience are the primary drivers of OOH behaviour, it is essential to ensure healthier choices are as desirable, accessible, visible and convenient as less healthy ones. Policies and voluntary initiatives by the private sector that improve the availability, affordability, and appeal of healthier OOH options, particularly within convenience driven contexts have the potential to support healthier choices among people in Scotland.