Report shows Ireland's demand for takeaways, especially healthy meals, is on the rise

Ireland’s foodservice market is now valued at a record €7.8bn.

Bord Bia's latest report shows the sector, which includes more than 33,000 outlets, continues to grow with a strong demand for take away and convenience services.

All food consumed out of the home is included in the study, which shows more than one 35% of consumer spend is in areas like counter service and drive thru outlets.

Foodservice Specialist with Bord Bia, Maureen Gahan, says there has been a huge increase in demand for healthier options.

She said: "I think that's really being driven by consumers spending more time out of home and they are eating out of home more often, and they are looking for more healthy options when they are eating out.

"I think it's not necessarily about having the lower calorie items on the menu, but it's about having great tasting food that is going to leave you feeling good afterwards."

Ms Gahan explained why the market is growing.

She said: "First of all the economy is still in strong growth, and is due to grow to a GDP rate close to 5% this year.

"Unemployment, as most people would have heard about, is at a record low, with just over 6% in the Republic and 5% in the North."