EATrends: Food consumption in Europe towards 2020, in eight trends

EATrends

Food consumption in Europe towards 2020, in eight trends

The main trends that can have the greatest impact on the food industry now and in the future ... by AZTI-Tecnalia

Editor: AZTI-Tecnalia (Food Research Division) Authors: Sonia Riesco1, Jeroen Duijvestijn2, Leire Gandarias2, Nagore Picaza1 and Begoña Pérez-Villarreal1 1 AZTI-Tecnalia 2 Bilbao Design Academy Date: March 2012 www.azti.es www.alimentatec.com www.foodtrendtrotters.com © AZTI-Tecnalia. 2012. All rights reserved

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Trends:

why and what for In the current market, the consumer is the main motor of innovation. The trends are related to the natural evolution resulting from the consumers’ motives, tastes, needs and preferences, and which therefore affect their behavior when they consume something.

Detecting and analyzing these trends means visualizing and anticipating what consumers will demand in the future, detecting business opportunities early, new niches in the market, and anticipating the competition. In short, businesses can take commercial and economic advantage of these trends to promote innovation and transform ideas into different and profitable solutions for the company, which the consumer perceives as innovative, relevant and valuable.

The trends shouldn’t just stay in a talk or report, but rather they are a starting point for discussing and working on: • Formulating or adapting business strategies to the real demands of the market, including both current and future demands.

• Carrying out R&D&i initiatives with more potential for success.

• Designing products and/or services that are different, relevant and valuable for consumers.

• Discovering new market niches (business opportunities) not yet explored.

• Developing communication and marketing strategies aligned to the target audiences of the trends.

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It is necessary to keep in mind: • The trends are deployed to different degrees (some more than others) but all of them “are moving” and will be relevant both in the short and medium term, so that they can be applied immediately in food businesses.

• The trends can be used by commercial companies to formulate their innovations and strategic plans in line with the market to gain economic benefits.

• The trends are not static but rather dynamic, they continue to evolve and may become either consolidated and massive, or remain in a nascent stage.

• The trends can have a global or local nature. According to the approach used to carry out this exercise, the presented trends can be applied to the Spanish and European markets, although with different nuances.

• They are not individual but rather interact with each other, and therefore cannot be thought of entirely separately.

• The key trends that are presented here are connected to the consumers’ needs and motivations; however, none of them can be applied to all consumers.

• These trends have been verified and they are supported by data and examples that corroborate them. However, we should not forget that there is an inherent part of the trends that goes hand in hand with intuition and subjectivity.

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# Food Telling # Supersense # Slowcal # Here&Now # Eater_tainment # MadeSimple # MyHealth # EgoFood

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# Food Telling,

food with a message Tell me a story‌

Globalization, the progressive detachment from food production, the growing concern about the safety of food and, ultimately, the search for reliability and intelligent food consumption are behind Food Telling.

This trend responds to the demand for transparent, attractive and nearby information by associating messages and stories with food products. The message brings unmistakeable added value to products, brands and manufacturers.

Food Telling connects and brings the consumer closer to the food they eat, and at the same time gives more identity and authenticity to the actual food.

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# Supersense,

multi-sensory experience I want a full sensory experience, activate my five senses!

In advanced societies, food has gone from being a mere physiological necessity to become an aspirational “activity”, and it is taking on an “extraordinary” character in everyday life.

The trend SuperSense refers to food products that aim to generate an impact that activates the consumer’s five senses, creating an intense and full sensory experience. SuperSense“talks” to us about original and different sensations, and is intimately associated with pleasure.

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# Slowcal

I need a “slow”, quality life, that is more aware and sustainable

The fast pace of life, globalization and the high level of waste in the modern consumer society have generated a countercurrent that seeks to counteract these impacts on an individual’s life quality.

The trend Slowcal implies greater awareness and responsibility for the personal, social, economic and environmental impacts of food consumption. It reflects a desire or need for quality consumption, in which enjoyment, balance and sustainability are utmost.

Slowcal is associated with the “slow”, with trying to “recover” time for yourself – and eating – as well as with the local, giving greater value to what comes from nearby, and what makes up the surrounding environment.

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# Here&Now,

My accelerated pace of life needs “convenience 2.0”: I want it now, wherever I am...

Mobility, living connected to the “now”, the merging of our online/offline lives, the constant pressure of time and the need to combine responsibility and leisure are aspects that characterize advanced urban societies.

The trend Here&Now aims to help make the urban nomad lifestyle easier. The urban nomad requires flexibility, optimal time management, healthy solutions, and above all, instant gratification of their needs anytime, anywhere.

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# Eater_tainment, food experience I want to live intensely. I’m looking for something new, different and original... give it to me!

In the entertainment era and in a context in which austerity and greater self-control are prioritized, we must not forget that people are essentially emotional beings, and therefore the aspirational and the desire to experiment continue to motivate us.

Eartertainment is related to indulgence, self-satisfaction and the need to escape from day to day life. This trend refers to the search for memorable experiences that connect with the emotional needs of individuals.

Eartertainment is adventure, fun, surprises... this is the added value that the “experience” or “ act of consuming” the food product provides.

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# MadeSimple, make it simple

I live in a constant time crunch, I need to simplify my life!

Today’s consumer is exposed to a multitude of choices, infoxication, and the sensation of never having enough time. This generates anxiety when it comes to consuming food, considering the growing number of decisions that need to be made.

The trend MadeSimple creates flexible solutions that allow intelligent buying and consuming, simplifying choices and selecting the best option while also saving time.

MadeSimple is associated both with the product and also with buying and consuming through services/tools that simplify and make the consumers’ lives easier.

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# MyHealth,

personalized health I want to be proactive and manage my health, help me to do this!

Food and eating habits are the main non-genetic factors that strongly influence a person’s health and life quality, and also play an important role in preventing chronic illnesses associated with nutrition. If this is combined with a greater desire to constantly live actively and healthily and lead the lifestyle we want, health becomes a key objective for any individual.

The trend MyHealth is related to the proactive and responsible attitude towards caring for your own wellbeing and health, by self-managing the prevention, conservation and monitoring of personal health. This trend reflects the search for personalized food, adapted to personal needs, to gain a balance between an individual’s physical condition and their mental/ emotional wellbeing.

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# EgoFood,

food expression I want to show my personality through what I consume

Individuals are both social (part of groups with common needs, interests and tastes) and independent beings with their own identity and in search of authenticity; therefore, these two facets should be able to coexist and both be expressed.

The trend EgoFood looks to express both individual and group identity, so that consumer products “personify” the consumers’ desires, values, aspirations and status.

EgoFood seeks the connection between the consumer and the “dimension” of the product that fits the consumer’s personality (as well as their needs) and with what they feel identified.

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EATtrends have been developed by…

The Food Research Unit of AZTI-Tecnalia, with Sonia Riesco and Begoña Pérez Villarreal as the project leaders, and in collaboration with the Bilbao Design Academy.

AZTI-Tecnalia (www.azti.es) is a Technology Center focused on marine and food research and committed to sustainable social, economic and environmental development in the fisheries and food sectors. Its objective is to determine ways for obtaining progress and well-being for all, generating value through scientific and technological research.

The center has many business, institutional and government clients. It carries out research projects orientated towards generating knowledge as well as market-focused, technological products and services, providing high added value and transforming ideas into value for clients. AZTI-Tecnalia is comprised of a multi-disciplinary team of over 200 people with a high degree of specialization.

Sonia Riesco is a researcher in the Área de Vigilancia y Prospectiva (Monitoring and Forecasting Area) of AZTI-Tecnalia. She has carried out food technology and market research for over eight years. She is the head of the AZTI-Tecnalia market observatory, where studies are performed on consumer trends and food innovation. She also participates in information dissemination and communication as she is the coordinator and content editor of alimentatec (www.alimentatec.com), and leader of the project Food Trend Trotters (www.foodtrendtrotters.com).

Begoña Pérez-Villarreal is Market Director of the AZTI-Tecnalia Food Research Unit. Since 1987 she has been involved in R&D&i as well as technology transfer to the food industry, essentially in terms of quality and development of new food. She has been the coordinator of the Technological Monitoring and Forecasting activities of AZTI-Tecnalia since 2004.

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For this she has developed a methodology that integrates trendwatching/coolhunting, market studies and work with experts in the food area.

….in collaboration with…

Bilbao Design Academy (BDA) is a center of knowledge about innovation that provides training and consulting on consumption trends, and the application of design as a strategic tool and corporate creativity to promote innovation. Jeroen Duijvestijn is a founding partner of BDA, international expert on consumption trends and author of several books on marketing, innovation and consumer trends.

Do you want to know more?

Contact us through info@azti.es or the contact form at www.azti.es You can also find more information on consumers, food trends and innovation at the Food Trend Trotters website (www.foodtrendtrotters.com).

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Astondo Bidea. Edificio 609. 48160 DERIO (Bizkaia. Spain) Tel.: +34 94 657 40 00. Fax: +34 94 657 25 55 www.azti.es | www.alimentatec.com | www.foodtrendtrotters.com info@azti.es