Food and Drink Consumer Research

food research image

Ingredion, a food ingredient manufacturer commissioned research to find out which food and drinks products consumers really want. The report is called “Food That Just Clicks”. This article gives a brief summary of key findings and link to the full report. The research was carried out by MMR on behalf of Ingredion in September 2017.

Location of Survey Respondents

A total of 800 consumers were surveyed for this research. (100 in each of the following countries– the UK, Germany, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Kenya, Iran and the United Arab Emirates)

Key findings on Consumer Food and Drink Preferences

These key findings are the average of all the countries surveyed. However, a deep dive into the report itself will show important regional differences.

One of their most significant findings is that 48% of is consumers are willing to pay more for a product that they consider is similar but more nutritious than a cheaper product.

However, consumers believe that the quality of food products has fallen, with ready-meals having the biggest deterioration in quality.

Regional Differences in Consumer Preferences

In the report, the results from each country are shown separately. This will be of interest to any manufacturer exporting to the above countries, especially in areas where neighbouring countries show very different priorities. For example, respondents were asked to pick which of the following 3 areas they felt that food/drink producers should focus on most heavily:
• Reducing undesirable ingredients
• Reducing over-processing
• Reducing packaging waste
57% of Germans said Reducing Packaging Waste was the area that food manufacturers should focus on most, while only 27% of Polish respondents felt this should be the top priority. Instead, 58% of Polish respondents said that Reducing Undesirable Ingredients should be the top priority.

Obviously, this will have implications for the information contained and highlighted on the packaging created for each country.

 

Consumers are Challenging Food Manufacturers

Healthier Ingredients
50% of respondents said they wanted a reduction in undesirable ingredients

36% said they wanted minimally processed foods

Packaging Waste
37% said they would like to see less packaging waste

Trust in Food Manufacturers’ Labels

45% said there should be more information on food and drink labels

59% said they use mobile technology to find out more about the product

Where do Consumers Want to See More Information?

If you are considering a new carton design or revamp, the following image may be of interest. It shows that 50% of consumers want to see the extra information on the back of the pack, (despite the fact that so much information is available online.) (* In the UK, consumers wanted the extra information on the front of the pack).

 

 

where info is desired on cartons infographic

Other Consumer Food and Drink Research Statistics

52% wouldn’t compromise on freshness, even for a cheaper alternative
• 1 in 3 think healthier foods have had a negative impact on freshness
• 51% of consumers are willing to pay more for a healthier product if the taste is better

You can find the full report here.