An impressive 60 per cent of consumers believe that food manufacturers have a role to play in helping them lead a healthy lifestyle, according to new research. The ‘Healthy, Wealthy & Wise’ report, published by customer science company dunnhumby, also revealed how over 70 per cent of those taking part in the study feel that we are less healthy than previous generations.
There has been a significant increase in the number of consumers making healthy eating a priority with the majority of people surveyed admitting they plan to eat more healthily over the months ahead.
The report evaluated shopping habits of seven million consumers and surveyed more than 8,000 people in eight countries.
It revealed that approximately a quarter of shoppers globally are very committed to health, based on their purchasing behaviour, up 38 per cent since 2009.
The research also indicates that this increased spend on healthy food is likely to have been prompted by growing concern about unhealthy lifestyles.
Consumers now believe what you eat affects how you feel with 89 per cent agreed or strongly agreeing, associating ‘natural’ with ‘healthy’, considering fresh fruit and vegetables as healthier than the frozen equivalents, and wanting locally-sourced foods wherever possible.
Those taking part in the study identified checking the ingredients list, checking the nutritional information and prior knowledge of the product as the key factors in helping them to recognise healthy items.
Attitudes towards labelling was also analysed with 44 per cent saying that labels help them identify healthy products.
Speaking on the release on the report, Julian Highley, global director of customer knowledge at dunnhumby, said that healthy eating has climbed the agenda among consumers across the globe over the last five years.
"It is vital that brands and retailers cater to this desire for healthy options through the development of new products and the creation of store layouts that assist shoppers in their healthy eating aims,” he said.
David Wood, group managing director for health & wellness at Tesco, commented: “It’s encouraging that customers are increasingly seeking both healthier options and looking to food retailers to help guide them in their choice."
That’s why making it easy for customers to lead a healthier lifestyle is central to Tesco's plan - introducing shop-floor nutritionists, removing sweets from checkouts and making healthier product choices more prominent in-store, he said.
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