09.01.11
A shift in thinking has occurred in supermarket aisles across the country, according to “Shopping for Health 2011,” a yearly study released by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and Prevention magazine, and published by Rodale Inc. Shoppers used to care most about undesirable characteristics their foods were devoid of: fat, sugar, salt, calories, etc. Now, however, fortification and the inclusion of key health ingredients are on the rise, with fiber (44%) being the most sought-after component; whole grain (36%), protein (27%), omega 3 (23%) and antioxidants (16%) follow.
“While the main criteria for healthy foods was previously determined by ingredients it did not contain, today’s shoppers are now instead wondering what’s in their food, seeking to better understand the nutritional components of what they eat,” said Cary Silvers, director of consumer insights for Prevention.
About half of shoppers have bought cranberry juice, dark chocolate or almonds in the past year, due in part to marketing campaigns and news coverage touting the health benefits of these so-called “superfoods”—dubbed as such because they contain large quantities of specific nutrients. Shoppers are also purchasing green tea (43%), pomegranate juice (25%) and Greek yogurt (21%).
Certain health claims are also proving to be attractive to customers. When purchasing food, heart health (73%) is the top health claim on packaging that matters to consumers. More energy (71%), digestive health (66%) and improving mind health (65%) follow closely behind.
But despite this attention to healthy foods, lack of planning is trumping health in the decision-making process at the American dinner table, as 72% of shoppers decide what to have for dinner that day. When same-day decisions for dinner are made, health (52%) falls well behind taste (73%), quickness of preparation (60%) and craving (52%). Lack of meal planning is so pervasive that one-in-four shoppers (24%) decide what to have for dinner within one hour before eating.
Shoppers can take many routes to healthy eating, including how they shop, how they prepare food and how they eat. Substantial numbers make an effort in each of these areas: 44% use a list when shopping for healthy food most of the time; 54% have tried a new healthy recipe in the past year.
Half of shoppers say they don’t actively monitor their calorie intake on a daily basis but do make an effort not to consume too many calories at a time. About half say they are paying more attention to consuming fewer calories than they did two years ago; the same share say they are paying the same amount of attention; and just 6% say they are paying less attention.
“While the main criteria for healthy foods was previously determined by ingredients it did not contain, today’s shoppers are now instead wondering what’s in their food, seeking to better understand the nutritional components of what they eat,” said Cary Silvers, director of consumer insights for Prevention.
About half of shoppers have bought cranberry juice, dark chocolate or almonds in the past year, due in part to marketing campaigns and news coverage touting the health benefits of these so-called “superfoods”—dubbed as such because they contain large quantities of specific nutrients. Shoppers are also purchasing green tea (43%), pomegranate juice (25%) and Greek yogurt (21%).
Certain health claims are also proving to be attractive to customers. When purchasing food, heart health (73%) is the top health claim on packaging that matters to consumers. More energy (71%), digestive health (66%) and improving mind health (65%) follow closely behind.
But despite this attention to healthy foods, lack of planning is trumping health in the decision-making process at the American dinner table, as 72% of shoppers decide what to have for dinner that day. When same-day decisions for dinner are made, health (52%) falls well behind taste (73%), quickness of preparation (60%) and craving (52%). Lack of meal planning is so pervasive that one-in-four shoppers (24%) decide what to have for dinner within one hour before eating.
Shoppers can take many routes to healthy eating, including how they shop, how they prepare food and how they eat. Substantial numbers make an effort in each of these areas: 44% use a list when shopping for healthy food most of the time; 54% have tried a new healthy recipe in the past year.
Half of shoppers say they don’t actively monitor their calorie intake on a daily basis but do make an effort not to consume too many calories at a time. About half say they are paying more attention to consuming fewer calories than they did two years ago; the same share say they are paying the same amount of attention; and just 6% say they are paying less attention.