How Consumer Habits Are Changing in The Food Sector

In the past few years, the food industry has seen some significant changes in how people shop for everyday groceries. These trends are starting to shape the industry as we head into the new decade. It’s not just modern diets or eating habits that are driving this change. There is also a need for transparency and trust in what shoppers are consuming.

Sustainability is also a hot topic of conversation, so check out some of the ways consumer habits are changing as we head into 2020.

The demand for transparency

More than ever, consumers are buying based on what they think and feel about brands. Shoppers previously shopped for bargains before anything else. However, this shift is seeing people asking where their food came from. Quality foods are thriving because individuals want to know the ingredients in the product rather than a long list of words they can’t pronounce. The organic food sector is seeing significant growth, and the benefits of this type of production could help reduce carbon emissions and other environmental factors.

Plant-based diets

Veganuary is in full swing! While individuals aren’t necessarily switching to an entirely plant-based diet, there was a significant increase in the number of those who are trying the new way of eating. More people than ever are substituting meat for plant-based meals as some of their options. If this trend is to continue, it could see the need for diversification in the supply chain. As more fresh, natural and short-life foods become more prevalent, more storage and quicker turnover are required by brands. The whole chain may need to make provisions such as farmers requiring more steel frame buildings to store food stocks, through to supermarkets requiring warehouses with more refrigeration. This task is a significant one, but it is an area that will need to be considered should plant-based diets start to take off.

Considering health

Health reasons have always been a significant factor in how people shop. Eating well, eating clean and avoiding artificial additives are increasing trends in the food sector. The market is also seeing growth in areas such as probiotics, protein additions and healthy beverages. The focus here is providing consumers with easy and quick health products that actually benefit health rather than just saying they do. This prospect fits into the transparency factor too. Brands that are tapping into this sector, especially start-ups are seeing growth, as individuals trust smaller companies to deliver wholesome and organic alternatives to corporate product churn outs.

Educating customers

It’s not enough anymore to just sell products to people without giving them enough information to make a conscious decision. Low price points are failing to win people over, as they feel the quality is affected by such a bargain price. Educating the customer is a significant step in getting them to buy products. The more they trust and see the value of a product, the increase in willingness to purchase it.

The food sector is undergoing some big changes, as a consumer and a brand, it will be interesting to see where the next decade takes it.

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