Air Fryers Are Replacing UK Takeaway Culture

New survey insights from Expert Reviews have revealed that air fryers are replacing UK takeaway culture. 

The survey of 2091 UK adults showed that over a third (34%) say they are buying fewer takeaway meals due to owning an air fryer. 

• Over a third of UK air fryer owners (34%) are buying fewer takeaways due to owning an air fryer
• Younger age groups are most likely to reduce buying takeaways for air fryer meals
• UK adults aged 55+ are least likely to reduce buying takeaways for air fryer meals

UK regions most likely to swap takeaways for air fryer meals:

The study identified the top five UK regions that are most likely to reduce buying takeaways for air fryer meals.

43% of respondents in London say they have reduced purchasing takeaways because of owning an air fryer. In second place was East Midlands, followed by the North West in third place.

1. London (43%) 
2. East Midlands (39%) 
3. North West (36%) 
4. Wales (36%) 
5. Scotland (32%) 

Generational split:

A generational split around people buying fewer takeaways as a result of owning an air fryer has also been identified. 

Results show that almost 50% of the younger age groups aged 18-34 years said that their frequency of purchasing takeaways has reduced due to air fryer ownership, compared to 26% of people aged 55 and above.

This finding may well counter the younger age groups stereotyped of being the ‘lazy generation’, as it seems that they are more willing to cook a meal using their air fryer than spending money on takeaway food.

Why are people swapping takeaways for air fryers?

Air fryer popularity is continuing to grow, with 56% of the UK now owning one - that’s an 11% increase from 2023. 

46% of UK air fryer owners say that the main reason for using their air fryer is to reduce the time spent on cooking, which could be a key reason why people are opting for speedy air fryer meals over spending money on takeaway food.

These cooking devices can also be eco-friendly and offer energy-efficient benefits such as lowered energy bills. In fact, nearly a third (32%) of UK air fryer owners have seen a decrease in their energy bills since using it.

Considering the financial repercussions of the UK cost of living crisis, reducing spending on takeaway meals seems like a fairly reasonable move to make.

Danielle Amato, Expert Reviews’ Air fryer expert, comments: 

“With the UK cost of living remaining a cause for concern, it’s easy to see why UK air fryer owners are now spending less money on takeaway food, and instead opt for a quick homemade air fryer meal. 

Air fryer cooking is generally faster than oven-cooking. This means people can whip up a relatively quick meal while saving on the cost of purchasing takeaway food.

Cooking with an air fryer instead of an oven can also be an effective way to start cutting the cost of your household’s energy bills.

Though energy bill reductions can also be dependent on factors such as the weather, how many people live in a home or the amount of time people spend at home, our findings suggest that air fryers can still have an impact on the amount of money UK households are able to save on their energy bills.”