Uphill Work for Healthy Food Campaigns

Four new reports on healthy eating and its converse, from both the USA and UK, show that while government guidelines and campaigns can boost awareness of healthier diets, they can't always compete with the urge to indulge.

Euromonitor's new Health and Wellness Foods in the USA report expects US government guidelines to boost the sales of certain healthy foods. The US government has recently launched a new 'food pyramid' with recommendations to choose whole grain products and low-fat dairy products more often.

The recommendation is likely to benefit the high fibre bakery sector, which has been losing out in the face of fashionable low-carbohydrate products. Christiana Benkouider, Head of Health and Wellness Research at Euromonitor, says the trend is likely to change, as 'many nutritionists agree that switching to whole grain foods rather than excessively restricting carbohydrate intake is a more sensible and sustainable weight management solution'.

However, new figures from the UK government suggest that government nutrition guidelines are not always successful. The '5 A Day' healthy eating campaign, launched by the Department of Health last year, attempted to encourage people to eat five portions of fruit and veg a day. Yet the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' annual family food report reveals that fresh fruit and veg sales are down by 2%, and the average person is now eating just 3.7 portions a day, rather than the recommended five.

This report, which provides a snapshot of eating habits during 2003-4, found that sales of white fish, tea and bread have also declined while alcohol, soft drinks and processed cheese consumption are on the rise. From 1994 to 2004, the amount spent on alcohol drunk at home has increased by 50% to around £40bn a year. Consumption of junk foods (high in salt and fats) is also rising.

A new study from Information Resources Inc (IRI) seems to confirm that consumers can't get enough of 'enjoyment' foods despite the increasing focus on healthier alternatives. The report, entitled The Enjoyment Factor: Consumers' Unwavering Demand for Taste, Indulgence and Variety is based on analysis of consumer data from the IRI Consumer Network Household Panel and scanner-based sales tracking data from IRI Infoscan(r) Reviews. It says that, despite the influx of health-focused food and drinks, US consumers are still spending one third of their food and drink budget on products consumed for pure enjoyment rather than nutritional value. According to the report, 43% of consumers place taste above health benefits when making buying decisions.

IRI points to opportunities for manufacturers and retailers in the 'enjoyment' marketplace - suggesting, for example, that they develop tastier versions of 'light' foods, focus on premium products, and develop greater variety in flavours and forms.

New research from MINTEL finds sales of energy and stimulant drinks set to pass the £1 billion barrier this year, taking sales of these stamina-boosting drinks to an incredible £1 in every £5 spent on soft drinks. The volume has increased by an impressive 75%, and value by some 71%, since 2000. 'The UK has the longest working hours in the EU, lifestyle-driven, especially by young, image-conscious adults, who see these drinks as a kind of fashion accessory. What is more, values have been boosted by the fact that consumers are prepared to pay a relatively high price for energy drinks' comments Ellen Shiels, Senior Consumer Analyst.

Although the majority are prepared to pay a premium for these drinks, price still presents the greatest barrier, with a quarter (25%) of the population believing that they are too expensive. A number also remain cynical about their properties, with one in six (16%) not believing the claims made for them. Interestingly just 7% see these drinks as 'simply a passing fad' and only 4% believe that they 'cannot be good for you'.

The companies mentioned are online at www.euromonitor.com , www.mintel.com and www.infores.com , and the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at www.defra.gov.uk

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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