Nearly half of consumers (48%) are eating more fresh foods compared to three years ago, according to a new survey by OpinionWay.
Only 11% of consumers report eating less fresh food than they did three years ago. The remaining 41% say they’re eating the same amount.
Here are some of the reasons for the trend toward fresh foods:
- Appearance. Appearance is the most important factor in fresh food purchasing decisions, followed by quality and price. (The exceptions is cheese, for which price comes first.) Packaging plays into this: consumers see loose, packaged in-store, or over-the-counter products as healthier, higher-quality, better-tasting, and less wasteful.
- Price. Price is always a deciding factor. Families with higher income levels eat more fresh foods than those with lower incomes. The respondents who decreased their fresh food consumption cited earning less money (26%) or an increase in food prices (24%) as the reason.
- Health. Nearly 60% of respondents said they want a healthy lifestyle. Over 40% reported wanting to limit processed foods in their diet.
Over the past few years, consumer preferences have been trending toward fresher, healthier foods. The results suggest that processors can meet these demands by providing fresh-looking, healthy foods at an affordable price.
Sources: OpinionWay survey for Bizerba / Invatron, Consumption of Fresh Products in the United States; Food Quality and Safety, Fresh Favored Over Processed Products
