Food 2020, The Consumer As The CEO

A survey of consumers from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Argentina, and China reveals that consumers are most concerned with taste, quality, and the price of food; health is also important, particularly in China. Consumers predict that what we eat will be different in 2020, and while they would like to consume more local foods, they expect that more of their food will be imported.

Major Findings:

• Taste, quality and price are top considerations in choosing foods, except in China where health benefits are most important.
• 29% of consumers relate enjoyment to food, while 17% relate good health to food.
• Knowledge (44%), taste (43%), and availability (35%) are key barriers to healthier eating.
• Consumers want good taste, but they also want to know more about their food.
• Consumers are more interested in having a say about ingredients, safety, and quality than about convenience.
• Food safety is important as a global issue both today and for the year 2020. 64% of consumers say they would make food safety a top priority if they were CEO of a global food company.
• Food brands are losing their relevance in most countries studied, except in Argentina and China.
• Consumers want local food, but they’re not willing to pay for it with either cost or taste.
• Consumers want companies to solve societal issues related to food and nutrition and they are willing to pay reasonable premiums for it.
• Consumers want food companies to take away the temptations that lead to obesity, but they don’t want to eat less.
• If consumers ran a global food company, 42% would prioritize making foods that cost less.
• Consumers expect what they eat and how they choose it will be different by 2020, but they still expect food companies to be responsible for their health and well being.