Arnhem, Netherlands—The health of the planet is now a top global concern, surpassing human health. That’s according to Innova’s Lifestyle & Attitude Survey.
The number one trend from the survey was joint responsibility: Consumers believe trust and transparency are important in product creation. In the category of food habits, reducing food choices (43%) and eating in moderation (32%) are the top two actions consumers are taking to help the planet.
“For the first time ever, more consumers surveyed globally for Innova’s Lifestyle & Attitude Survey, say health of the planet is their top global concern, rather than health of the population,” said Lu Ann Williams, Insights Director at Innova Market Insights.
Key Findings:
- 63% of consumers surveyed would like to eat at a restaurant that actively prevents food waste.
- 20-25% of consumers adapted their product purchases due to environmental concerns. This includes: Choosing foods with environmentally friendly packaging and choosing sustainably grown products.
- Nearly half of consumers reported cutting their food waste.
- Nearly three in 10 consumers said it is more costly to purchase environmentally friendly products.
- Still, more than 50% of consumers said they were willing to pay more for brands that are committed to solving global issues. This includes: plastic waste (64%), ocean pollution (63%), and food waste (62%).
“In our Innova Trends Survey 2021, 55% of consumers globally say that there are too many environmental labels and they don’t know what to look for,” noted Williams. “Furthermore, nearly two-thirds of consumers surveyed globally agree or strongly agree that they prefer one label that captures the complete impact on the environment over multiple labels.”
Ethical claims regarding the environment:
- Products carrying environmental claims grew at three times the rate of total food and beverage activity.
- There was an overall 17.3% increase of food and beverage launches with ethical environmental claims from 2017 to 2021.
- Food and beverages using upcycled ingredients rose 122%.
- Products containing recycled plastic rose 59%.
- Products with water saving claims increased 49%.
- Products carrying carbon emissions claims rose 47%.
- Palm oil free products increased 36%.
Courtesy of Innova Marketing Insights
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