Half of Americans consider factors such as health and wellness, safety, social impact, and transparency when buying groceries, says a food-industry study. The “evolving drivers” of food purchases mean taste, price and convenience – the longtime standbys – no longer are predictive. Deloitte Consulting said consideration of the new factors “is pervasive across” age, income or region. “The U.S. consumer has changed in a fundamental and impactful way, and people’s preferences are becoming even more fragmented than the food industry may have anticipated,” said Jack Ringquist of Deloitte.
Three-quarters of Americans say food safety should mean more than safe to eat. “Consumers now link health, wellness and transparency with their definition of safety, and include factors such as free from harmful ingredients, 62 percent; clear and accurate labeling, 51 percent; and fewer ingredients, processing and nothing artificial, 42 percent,” according to a summary by Deloitte, the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Food Marketing Institute.