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Good for Food: A Future Trend Report. hellostir.com Introduction. When it comes to today’s time-poor, health conscious and hungry consumers, food is Food has become far more than the product itself. The industry is increasingly big business. prone to external factors such as sustainability, sourcing and packaging. Research from the Department for International Trade showed £230bn is spent on It’s a fast-moving market with high expectations and paradoxical demands, so food and drink each year.1 keeping up-to-date with the latest consumer trends, opinions and beliefs has never been more important. But fast-changing lifestyles, greater spending demands and evolving views on the world, make it tougher to know what this fickle bunch wants to munch. We’ve pulled together some of the best ways to understand what today’s consumers want when it comes to the food they like, to toss in the trolley and From takeaways and recipe box deliveries, to health-conscious snacking and vegan stack in their cupboards and fridges. diets, the market is wide and varied. There’s little doubt generational consumption habits are fast-changing to become more health-conscious. 58% of consumers ranked a balanced diet as one of the best ways to proactively manage health, above physical exercise (57%) and taking supplements and vitamins (47%).2 Younger consumers within the Millennial bracket say that they prioritise Health and diet, exercise and mindfulness more than their elders. Current trends suggest that Gen Z are set to surpass the progress Millennials have made in this area. In the next five years, the oldest sub-segment of Gen Z will reach their mid-to-late 20s and are forecasted to drive a 5% increase in Wellness. growth within the holistic and healthy snack category.3 To make sense of this, we’ve identified three trends you can learn from when it comes to health and wellness. Nothing tastes as good as smart feels. For today’s consumers convenience is king - from round-the-clock deliveries, to 24-hour news and instant communication. But fast-paced living also means they’re more likely than ever to eat at their desk or grab food on the go. This craving for ease means consumers are increasingly searching for more efficient means to achieve a balanced diet. They want functional ‘smart’ foods, priced economically and with the right mix of vitamins and nutrients. They treat food as fuel and want to be able to fill-up without thinking. As such, the global functional ingredients market was worth $64.9 million in 2018 and it is expected to reach nearly $100 million by 2025, with 65% of consumers seeking functional benefits from their food and drink.4 Health Health & Wellness Being able to metaphorically offer everything on a plate could certainly make a packet for the brands who get it right. Eat Like a Chief: ‘Collagen’ Bars: extreme naturalness in a bar Top five ingredients perceived to deliver functional benefits by consumers are: Omega 3, Green Tea, Honey, Stir PR’s takeout: Fast food no longer means junk. Huel has gone to great 5 Coffee and Probiotics. lengths to create the most nutritionally optimised meal replacement while incremental adaptations are also welcomed; a bit of brain-boosting Omega 3 - as seen in Good Karma Yoghurts - can also do the trick. Consider any insights from your product or service- does it offer efficiency, health, diet or general optimisation? If so, amplify the messaging to leverage this trend. Huel: nutritionally complete, convenient food DNA Diets. Talk of ‘food fads’ is no longer polite. Increasingly, individuals are ‘owning’ their food preferences, intolerances or allergies, paving the way for brands to build products that meet individual needs. Veganism Baze Box: personalised supplement service is now mainstream, gluten-free options sit proudly on menus and dietary differences make great dinner conversation. Stir PR’s takeout: Personalisation has become an important According to a recent Stylus report: The Consumer of 2035: Wraparound driver of what consumers buy and eat. But this evolution into Wellness6, consumers will have an encyclopaedic grasp of diet Do’s hyper-personalisation means brands must reflect them from and Don’ts. It says: “Nutritional science will pinpoint the unique effect of the inside-out. Last year, Waitrose trialled an in-store personal ingredients on individuals and real-time guidelines will govern what we nutritionist service, with health experts helping customers select should eat and when, taking into account factors such as weather, age, nutritionally-superior products based upon their individual mood and hormonal changes.” needs. Stylus reported that the trial could evolve into an in-depth concierge service, where individuals access advice based on their As medical advances speed up, consumers will want greater insight medical history or even their DNA profile.8 into different foods, environments and treatments, as well as bespoke diets. Right now, they are considering wellness from the inside-out and choosing products according to science, making considerations around gut health, food intolerances, specialist diets and even blood type. Health Health & Wellness 42% of UK consumers would be interested in a personalised diet based on their genes/DNA - Global Consumer Trends 2019, Mintel7 The Pure Package: personalised diet meal plans Grenade: high protein snack bars Food that’s The protein market alone is growing at a CAGR of 7.5% and the milk protein fitter for eating. market at 6.8% CAGR.10 Traditional health clubs used to rely on obtaining rather than retaining members but now boutique classes, 24-hour gyms Mars Inc: launched Snickers and smartphone apps to book a PT session or track a run and Mars bars + protein have moved fitness from something people have to do to something they want to do - and even enjoy doing. This cultural shift has transcended into food selection, as consumers look to refuel after a workout or optimise performance with their choice of food and drink. Protein products once deemed only for hardcore gym enthusiasts are now finding their way into common day-to-day life; it’s no longer considered strange to enjoy a protein shake at your desk or to ask for a protein bar with your coffee. Health Health & Wellness A Grocer poll revealed that 6 in 10 shoppers see protein bars as healthier than chocolate, with a third saying they always or often bought them as an alternative to confectionery.9 Stir PR’s takeout: We are witnessing a fitness revolution in the way we eat as well as the way we look after our bodies physically through exercise. The plethora of brands devoted to offering a healthier alternative has made many ditch their usual calorie-laden bites. Brands not necessarily aligned with the health and wellness space could supplement products with related healthier ingredients to earn new credentials and customers. Generation Z (those born in the mid-90s to early 2000s) will make up 31% of the world’s population by 2021. Succeeding the pivotal millennials, it is believed that Gen Z will be the first group of adults to have deeply formed perceptions and beliefs from a young age, on the importance of sustainability, protecting the planet The Gen Z and our environment. With Gen Z disrupting several industries, brands will be keen to understand them more coherently around these important topics. This generation are far more unlikely than those before them to put up with gender-based marketing, Effect. stereotyping and bland, catch-all, non-personalised targeting. If brands don’t seriously consider the needs of Gen Z and how they wish to be spoken to, they risk alienating these consumers. Equal rights, Philadelphia: ASA banned advert for harmful stereotyping equal bites. BrewDog: Pink IPA was deemed patronising by consumers Gen Z don’t believe in gender stereotypes. With their daily lives inclusive of conversation around gender equality and diversity, traditional expectations of masculinity and femininity have changed. Gone are the days of the Diet Coke breaks for women ogling men and Yorkie chocolate being “not for girls”. Trending hashtags like #LGBTQTogether and #LGBTQRuleTheWorld show Gen Z’s pride at inclusivity and 81% strongly believe that gender does not define a person.12 The reshaping of these traditional norms gives brands a creative opportunity. Industry bodies have recently introduced the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) guidelines detailing how adverts must refrain The Gen Z Effect from using gender stereotypes likely to cause harm or widespread 60% of Gen Z embrace the idea of gender offence. Yet some ads are already falling foul of this and receiving bans. nonconformity and think forms should include Given 45% of consumers think that marketers portray women in selection ‘options’ other than ‘male’ or ‘female’.14 outdated ways and believe ad targeting is based on stereotypes 13, it is clear that brands will have to increasingly understand the need for social responsibility. Coca Cola: diva vs dude on-packs Stir PR’s takeout: targeted teens It’s important for brands to communicate to the person not the gender. Leveraging out- dated stereotypes can seriously damage a brand reputation showing the brand as out of touch. Instead, brands should be playful with the themes of inclusivity and Gen Z’s sense of tribe or individual identities. Have your cake Stir PR’s takeout: and eat it too. Despite their dedication to health, the Gen Z mindset allows them to enjoy a treat. By repurposing product formats that were once traditionally perceived to be ‘naughty’, brands can engage with this demographic. More than ever, eating has become about balancing the ‘good’ Health and wellness plays a crucial role in the lives of Gen Z but there is with the ‘bad’ with consumers looking for healthier options something of a “health paradox” at play, as they also want to enjoy a more on one hand but not afraid to have something traditionally less healthy on the other.

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