Progressive Grocer - November 2008 - (Page 19)

Grocery list Consumer insight The Lempert Report Play with your food Safe, yes; local, surely—but such fun could prove to be the next big global food trend, according to new research from Ketchum. Taste is the top consideration By Phil Lempert According to Ketchum’s Food 2020: The Consumer as CEO report, the No. 1 obstacle to healthy eating in the United States is real or perceived “taste concern.” least concerned about paying more, and the most willing to embrace the local-food ood 2020: The Consumer as trend, while Argentineans Taste 82% Wake-up Call No. 2: CEO, a new trend-tracking were the most concerned and Price 79 report from Ketchum, offers Taste is king, but not for least willing. Quality 74 insights into what our shoppers long. Emerging on Across all countries, are thinking about, and also Ketchum’s radar are shopmore than two-thirds of Value 66 looking for in the aisles and from the companies pers who pay much more consumers think that at Nutritional value 60 that produce their foods. Among its findings are attention to the ingredileast some of their foods Ingredients 56 some real surprises—but it’s no surprise that con- ents in their food, and come from other countries, Health benefits 55 where those ingredients sumers should be seen as running the show. but they grossly underestiThis consumer survey tracked attitudes and come from. On average, mate just how much. Here Convenient prep 50 behaviors in shoppers living in the United States, as six out of 10 consumers in the United States, 45 Quantity 42 well as the United Kingdom, Germany, Argentina, across all five countries say percent of all fruit sold is Safety 38 and China, and it finds more similarities in what they want to be able to imported, as is 80 percent Source 35 consumers are looking for across these five countries recognize all of the ingreof seafood. In China, than one might expect.“It’s all about the consumer, dients on a food label. meanwhile, just 4 percent Family choice 35 who is making decisions faster and more holistically The insight? Conof foodstuffs are imported. Brand name 35 then we have ever seen,” says Linda Eatherton, a sumers have become The No. 1 global food Recipes 32 Ketchum partner and the director of its Global Food spoiled by choice and priority must be to improve & Nutrition Practice. “Our research reinforces that con- spooked by issues, and will human nutrition and make Friend-recommended 17 sumers want it all and want to know it all, and if brands demand that brands clean food safer. Germans, ChiChef-recommended 7 want to stay relevant, they must be able connect and up their labels and sourcnese, and Argentineans say None of these 2 deliver on all expectations and desires.” ing practices. that if they were the c.e.o., SOURCE: FOOD 2020: THE CONSUMER AS CEO, KETCHUM Wake-up Call No. 3: It’s not an easy task to make that connection and they would use their power deliver on those expectations; I know this personally, Brands are losing their releto solve obesity and make as Ketchum reached out to me and others to help vance. The survey found across all countries that “taste, foods safe. Making foods with more nutrients per calodraft the consumer questions that hopefully would quality, and price” are the top food-shopping consider- rie is also a high priority among consumers across all ations, with only a third of respondents on average countries, with Argentina leading the way. Consumers bring us all to the future faster. naming “brand name” as a top consideration. in China, once again surprisingly, have the highest perKeep the fun in food Eatherton warns that if CPG brands lose their centage of respondents who link the importance of Now, in reviewing the research our questions gen- relevance, their innovations in taste, health attributes, good food choices with reducing their health care costs. erated, I see a number of “wows” that clearly live up to and research will come to a screeching halt, and we The top line from the Food 2020 survey is that Eatherton’s wake-up-call strategy. can’t allow that to happen. consumers indeed expect food to be different in Wake-up Call No. 1: Consumers like playing with Wake-up Call No.4: Price isn’t the barrier to eating 2020. The foods that are both safe and have health food. In fact, the research showed that in all the nations healthy; rather, it appears that lack of knowledge and benefits comprise the core of that expectation. surveyed, with the exception of China, consumers view poor taste are the roadblocks. In the United States, real food as “enjoyment,” with the view that it’s the “key to or perceived “taste concern” ranked as the No. 1 obsta- Phil Lempert is the one of the nation’s leading trend anahealth” far less prominent. (In cle, while “knowledge” is the major bar- lysts and consumerologists. He is the food editor of NBC’s More ONLINE China, however, “key to health” rier in China, Argentina, and Germany. Today show, SupermarketGuru.com, FactsFiguresFor additional Wake-up Call No. 5: Local is hot, Future.com, and XtremeRetail.com; the host of the syndiwas the No. 1 response.) As counconsumer insights, but will we sacrifice taste or pay more cated radio show Shopping Smart; and an author. tries and cultures develop ecogo to Progressivegrocer.com for it? Respondents in China were the He can be reached at PLempert@SupermarketGuru.com. nomically, it’s clear their shoppers F move further away from necessity, sustenance, and nourishment, to seek other benefits from food. Three-quarters of respondents today consider taste when making food purchases, followed by price and quality. www.progressivegrocer.com A H E A D O F W H AT ’ S N E X T Progressive Grocer • November 2008 • 19 http://www.SupermarketGuru.com http://www.factsfiguresFuture.com http://www.factsfiguresFuture.com http://www.XtremeRetail.com http://www.Progressivegrocer.com http://www.progressivegrocer.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Progressive Grocer - November 2008

Progressive Grocer - November 2008
Contents
Front End
Nielsen’s Shelf Stoppers/Spotlight
Market Snapshot
Lempert Report
Independents Report
Cover Story: Store of the Month
PG Industry Event
Private Label: What Economic Downturn?
Private Label: Critical Mass
2008 Category Captains Awards
Beverage Alcohol
Meat Snacks
Meat Trends
Produce
Holiday General Merchandise
Equipment Innovations

Progressive Grocer - November 2008