Meal delivery platform use in adults living in Belgium: a qualitative investigation into motivations for and experiences of ordering online

Abstract

Background: Meal delivery platforms are well-established in many urban areas worldwide, including Belgium. The increased access to meals prepared out-of-home that these services provide has contributed to international public health concern. Understanding consumers’ lived-experiences of meal delivery platform use will help inform the possible development of approaches to limit detrimental impacts on health and capitalise on opportunities to provide support. Methods: Between November 2024 and March 2025, we completed 29 in-person interviews with adults who order from meal delivery platforms, living across the Flanders and Brussels regions of Belgium. We investigated motivations for, and experiences of, online ordering and used reflexive thematic analysis to generate themes. Results: The adults in our research reported that they use meal delivery platforms in place of cooking or leaving home to counter work-related fatigue and low mental resource availability. Effortless purchasing processes alongside diverse cuisine availability allow cravings to be easily satisfied. Moreover, an overabundance of promotional offers reinforces the normality of ordering unhealthy meals online. Choosing delivery also allows time and effort otherwise spent cooking to be reallocated to work-related tasks and leisure activities. Purchasing additional items to have leftovers for later meals is one strategy to maximise value. Conclusions: We contribute to a growing evidence base showing that meal delivery platform development is shifting consumer food practices and preferences, meaning that these services present modern-day challenges for diet and health. Our findings enhance knowledge from existing quantitative evidence and can be used to guide forward-thinking strategies to promote healthier food practices in a digital era.