Companies that benefit from rolling blackouts

There are companies that actually benefit from rolling blackouts while most other businesses are wondering how long they can keep the lights on.

Restaurants and takeaway outlets benefit when people are unable to cook dinner, while banks and suppliers of alternative energy benefit from increased demand as rolling blackout stages increase for longer.

Report findings

According to Discovery Bank’s SpendTrend23 report that analyses data from Visa, South African consumers eat out more so far in 2023 than before the pandemic and all income segments spent more on takeaways and in-restaurant dining, says Hylton Kallner, CEO of Discovery Bank.

Eating out and takeout spend increased significantly as people are returning to restaurants and rolling blackouts is an additional factor driving eating out.

People eat out 60% more when rolling blackouts reach stages 5 and 6, he said.

Many consumers cannot prepare meals at home during rolling blackouts because they have no gas stove to use, while food, especially from your fridge, goes rotten quickly and cannot be used.

What is this new trend doing to our eating habits? The Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA) said while rolling blackouts dished up a wide range of inconveniences and frustrations, it may well have far more serious effects when it comes to our eating habits.

“It is a pity that the positive home cooking trend we saw during Covid lockdowns is now reversed due to the frequency of load shedding during meal preparation times.

ALSO READ: Load shedding: Economist asks why schools are exempt but not businesses

Health implications

It is already a challenge for working parents to put healthy, home-cooked meals on the table due to their busy lives and now they must contend with power outages just as they get home from work and start to focus on making dinner,” registered dietitian, Zitandile Mfono, who is also a spokesperson for ADSA, says.

She said it was not surprising that people opted for more convenience foods in these difficult circumstances. “However, this means an increase in high fat, high salt and high sugar foods in the family diet.

With the country’s high rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes, these are the kind of dietary changes our nation cannot afford.

In addition, at a household-level, increased consumption of takeaway foods leads to higher monthly food costs.”

‘Wonder cooker’

Mfono recommends investing in, or even making your own, “wonder cooker” which uses heat-retaining technology to slow-cook food without the need for electricity or gas.

The wonder cooker, also known as a wonderbag, works like a slow cooker but requires no electricity or gas. It can be used to prepare any recipe that involves boiling, roasting simmering or steaming food and can also be used to keep food warm for hours.

Chanelle Retief, also a registered dietitian and ADSA spokesperson, recommends investing in an inexpensive gas stove back-up.

“You do not have to replace your oven with a gas alternative. Rather invest in a small two-plate gas stove to use when you need to cook while there is load shedding.”

She also advises that consumers focus more on salad-based meals, and make healthier choices when ordering in.

“If you need to buy takeaways, keep the plate model in mind: 50% of your plate should be vegetables, 25% healthy carbs and 25% lean protein.”

NOW READ: How to run a small business in the dark during load shedding

– inao@citizen.co.za