A healthy diet is a major concern for consumers worldwide.
When asked about the role of food in their life, 66% of Europeans, Asians, Americans and Brazilians state that they attach great importance to a healthy and natural choice of food products, according to a worldwide consumer survey conducted by market research institute TNS on behalf of the GNT Group.
About 5,000 consumers aged 18-70 years across 10 countries have been surveyed in December 2014 on their attitudes towards packaged and processed food, which is an inherent part of modern life.
At Food Vision conference in Cannes, France, TNS presents the study’s results for the first time, giving insights into general eating and shopping habits but also into consumers’ attitude towards specific product characteristics as well as their relevance for the purchasing decision and price acceptance.
Based on the ongoing discussion of the clean label trend, GNT and TNS have explored in detail what consumers understand by natural food products, how they perceive specific ingredients – especially those with coloring properties – and how they evaluate labels and food claims.
As part of the study, four product categories have received special attention: soft drinks, sweets, yoghurt and ice cream.
“Consumers all around the world are increasingly conscious of the use of certain food additives,” says Dr. Hendrik Hoeck, MD of GNT Group.
“Whether it is about colors, flavors or preservatives – the call for natural alternatives is getting louder and wider.”
Global dietary preferences
A first impression of these needs can be gained by examining consumers’ general eating habits.
The study finds a key demand of consumers in all surveyed countries is one for healthy and natural food products.
Nevertheless, the wish for naturalness is not equally pronounced among all respondents and has to be reconciled with different lifestyles and expectations.
In Asia and South America, there is a striking awareness for healthy nutrition.
More than 70% percent of survey respondents in those regions are concerned with natural food and ingredients.
But a well-balanced diet is often compromised due to a lack of time or information to investigate food and its ingredients thoroughly.
In Europe and the US, there is also a clear demand for natural food, which, however, shows a slightly different face than in Asia and South America.
Many consumers are not just principally concerned with a healthy diet but also able and willing to invest a considerable amount of time and money into their nutrition.
Between 20% and 35% of the population in France, Germany, Poland, Spain, UK and the US explicitly look for natural ingredients in the products they buy.
“Considering the joint significance of all consumer groups that are concerned with their diet, our study clearly demonstrates that times are over when consumers purchase and consume food products without due regard to what they contain and how they are produced,” says Dr Hoeck.
“There is a major and global interest in healthy and natural food and ingredients – it just takes different forms around the world, but nevertheless is converging to a common understanding.”
“Food manufacturers have to follow suit and enable consumers to easily find healthy products that satisfy their needs.”
