Gareth Jones, Data and Insights Manager at PPA Magnetic, looks at what the latest Ipsos iris data tells us about online food, drink, and lifestyle content.

The UK’s appetite for food and drink content is substantial, with 62% of adults engaging online monthly. Within this bustling digital landscape, trusted editorial brands stand out as a real opportunity for advertisers, especially those in the food and drink sector.

Established brands like Good Food, Delicious, and Olive provide their foody communities with inspiration, recommendations, and crucially, instructions to create amazing dishes. Plus, lifestyle brands like Good Housekeeping, health and fitness titles like Men’s Health, and cultural and events brands like Time Out all engage their audiences with great content around food and drink.

In 2024, trusted editorial brands with food content attracted an average of 20 million online visitors per month, representing a significant two-thirds of the total online audience for lifestyle, food and beverage content.

These aren’t just casual browsers either. Over half (11.7 million) of those visiting trusted editorial brand sites with food content are the primary shoppers for nearly all household items. This presents a prime opportunity for advertisers to connect with key decision-makers and influence their purchasing habits. Furthermore, these platforms experience predictable peaks in traffic, aligning perfectly with key shopping periods like Christmas and Easter.

December sees a surge in culinary interest, with trusted editorial brand food content attracting 21 million visitors and a daily average of 2 million. The days leading up to Christmas Day witness a dramatic increase as shoppers finalise their festive plans.

Traffic climbs steadily, from 2.5 million on the 22 December to 2.65 million on the 23 December, culminating in a remarkable 3.25 million on Christmas Eve. Even on Christmas Day itself, 2.8 million adults turn to these trusted sources for guidance on executing the perfect festive meal.

Crucially, these readers are also active shoppers: a staggering 92% of those engaging with trusted editorial brand sites carrying food content in December also visited supermarket websites. This direct correlation between content consumption and shopping behaviour makes these platforms an invaluable asset for advertisers.

The Easter holiday period follows a similar trend. In 2024, with Good Friday on 29 March and Easter Sunday on the 31 March, trusted editorial brand food content saw a significant uplift in traffic. Good Friday attracted 2.3 million visitors, while Easter Sunday drew 2.5 million, both exceeding the average daily figure of 1.93 million for March.

As with Christmas, this surge in readership translates into increased shopping activity. 89% of those reading these sites in the lead-up to Easter also visited supermarket websites, further demonstrating the power of these platforms to drive consumer action.

While the holiday periods offer concentrated opportunities, the benefits of advertising with trusted editorial brands extend throughout the year. Whether it’s healthy recipes to support a fitness goal, quick eats to feed a busy family or inspiration for a feast, magazine brands are there for their communities year-round.

Trusted editorial brand websites offer a rich and targeted environment for food and drink advertisers. Their high readership, engaged audience, and predictable traffic patterns, especially around key shopping periods, provide a unique opportunity to connect with consumers at the moment of inspiration and influence their purchasing decisions. By partnering with these established brands, advertisers can savour success and achieve their marketing goals.

Ipsos iris online audience measurement service, Adults 15+, UK, Food & drink magazine and Food & drink retail online, Dec 2024