Majority of the world’s grocery shoppers consider sustainability when buying packaged Foods such as potato chips and cookies, according to Cargill’s recent global FATitudes survey. The survey found 55 per cent of consumers saying that they are more likely to purchase a packaged food item if it includes a sustainability claim, a four-point jump since the company last fielded this research in 2019
Mmanaging director of strategy and innovation for Cargill’s global edible oils business Nese Tagma said that the latest findings clearly demonstrated that messages surrounding sustainability are having an impact on consumers. “Insights like these help guide our consumer focused approach to innovation, enabling us to partner with customers to co-create new products and solutions that reflect current consumer trends and ingredient preferences,” Tagma was quoted. The latest global survey, conducted in summer 2021, included approximately 6,000 primary grocery shoppers in 11 countries.
FINDINGS
In this most recent round of research, an increased interest in sustainability was the most notable change from the previous survey’s results. More than half of the countries surveyed showed an increase in the influence of sustainability claims, with the change most evident in these countries:
- Brazil and Mexico, which both saw 13 point increases in the purchase impact of sustainability claims between 2019 and 2021. Sustainability claims now drive purchase decisions for 74% of consumers in Brazil and 66% in Mexico.
- India posted double-digit increases, with 67% of consumers indicating they were more likely to purchase packaged food with sustainability claims, up 11 points from 2019.
- In the UK, the survey found 51 per cent of consumers saying they place a greater emphasis on sustainability, an eight point jump in just two years.
- US consumers were most attuned to sustainability claims; 37 per cent indicated they were more likely to purchase packaged food with a sustainability tag, a six point increase compared to 2019 results.
For the first time, the survey also asked consumers what type of sustainability claim they were looking for. “Sustainably sourced” and “conservation of natural resources” topped the list, ranking well ahead of more specific claims such as Fair Trade, reduced packaging and fair/living wages in most every country included in the survey.
“These insights further affirm our commitment to embed sustainable practices into every aspect of our operations,” said Florian Schattenmann, chief technology officer and vice president of innovation and R&D for Cargill.
