Eating at home and ‘al desko' back in vogue

British dining habits are being dramatically affected by the changing economic climate, with over half (56 per cent) of Britons cutting back on eating out, new research from Abbey Credit Cards has revealed. Eating in is firmly established as the new dining favourite, with Britons cutting back on restaurant meals and pub lunches in favour of eating at home.

Takeaways have also taken a significant hit, with 44 per cent of Britons reducing the number of takeaways they buy in favour of cooking for themselves.

The research found that dining ‘al desko' is also gaining momentum among Britons, with 17 per cent more starting to take a packed lunch to work in the last 12 months to save money. This money saving tactic is most popular among women, with one in five having taken up the ‘al desko' trend compared to 13 per cent of men.

However, while Britons may be saving the pounds overall by spending less on meals out and takeaways, they are spending an average £50.96 more on groceries each month to cover the cost of eating at home more.

Callum Gibson, Head of Credit Cards at Abbey, comments: "The current economic climate means that people are looking to make cutbacks where they can to make their money go further. The Abbey Credit Card offers customers 3 per cent cashback on supermarket and petrol purchases for six months up to a maximum of £75, helping to ease the cost of food shopping for those who are eating at home more. It also offers a fantastic 0 per cent interest rate on balance transfers for nine months and purchases for three months."

Customers who are interested in applying for the Abbey Credit Card can telephone 0845 7654 321 or visit their local branch.

Features of Abbey's Credit Card include:

0 per cent introductory rate on balance transfers for nine months and purchases for three months from account opening
3 per cent cashback on supermarket and petrol purchases for six months up to a maximum of £75 (capped at £12.50 a month)