CONSUMERS TRENDING TOWARD HEALTHIER FOOD CHOICES & VALUE FOR MONEY

from Buy Australian Magazine Winter Issue 2023

Untitled Article

We recently took a peak at what shoppers are thinking according to the findings published within the latest 2023/2024 Australian Healthy Foods Report.

What caught our eye was the trend toward healthier eating, with the report showing 61% of young families selecting foods to improve their overall health.

What was not surprising was that consumers are still looking for value, and making budget conscious decisions, this year it seems to be even more challenging as we navigate through our current cost of living pressures.

Now the perception is that eating healthier costs more, so its always a juggling act to find an affordable healthy shopping basket, but its great to see 61% seem to be doing it well.

Healthy food is an interesting topic, healthy foods can actually be cheaper as they are fresher, have no added nasties. You can choose a lesser known brand, or brands that have just the core ingredient you want. Some higher priced brands may offer a similar product but include more flavours, preservatives or colors etc, but the core ingredient may be the same as the cheaper version.

I hear you, checking each item of your purchase is a pain, but if you want to eat better, cheaper, its worth going the extra mile.

DON’T TAKE AWAY THE TAKE AWAY !

What about eating out or bought dinners. 56% of consumers have increased the number of home cooked lunches and 53% incresed home cooked meals.

BOUGHT DINNERS down 56%

SUBSCRIPTION DINNERS down 46%

PREPREPARED DINNERS down 33%

BOUGHT LUNCHES down 47%

These results all reflect consumer perceptions and, in some cases, may not directly reflect actual sales of these items

PLANT-BASED FOODS

Plant-based meal components and plant-based ready meals have been one of the most highprofile developments in supermarket ranging in the last decade. These products are not just purchased by the 12% of consumers who identify as vegetarian or vegan.

Environmental and animal welfare concerns are a key driver of plant based eating for over 40% of Australians.

2022 stats - Eating plant based foods makes them: Feel healthier, over 55% Improves fitness 40%

Alcohol

In dollar terms, the Australian alcoholic drinks category is still expected to grow (through price increases) although 45% of consumers claiming to have decreased their alcohol intake over the last 12 months. Females are a particular standout, with 52% having made this change.

Australian Made

A broad consumer trend towards supporting Australian-made, particularly local producers, was observed during the pandemic. This continues to be a powerful claim, with 25% of consumers have made an effort to increase their consumption of locally produced foods and drinks in the last 12 months.

Difficult Decisions

59% of Australians believing it would cost them at least $50 more per week more to have a healthy diet.

This perception was even more widespread amongst young and middle families (72%) and selected generations (Gen Z = 65%, Gen X = 72%).

The reality of our situation is that a box of 10 chicken nuggets from a fast-food outlet is currently cheaper than an iceberg lettuce Chief executive officer of dietitians australia, robert hunt 39

WOMEN & MEN

The report shows 54% of females are now eating out less (takeaway or restaurant), compared to 42% of males. But it’s not just about going out, many more women than men have cut down on bought meals (39% versus 28%) and subscription meals (55% versus 39%). Interestingly, 52% of women have decreased their frequency of drinking alcohol, and 44% have done the same for red meat.

NEW RESEARCH SHOWS AUSTRALIANS’ PREFERENCE FOR AUSTRALIAN-MADE GOODS HASN’T WAVERED

The data collected by Roy Morgan, found that more than four in five (86%) Australians say buying Australian-made products is important to them. While very few people, only 2%, said buying Australian-made wasn’t important to them.

Most Australians (67%) stated in the survey that they ‘often’ or ‘always’ buy Australian-made products, citing supporting local jobs and the economy as their reason for doing so, followed by the quality or reliability of Australian-made products. Over one-third (35%) of Aussies also claimed to purchase more Australian-made products now than before the pandemic.

The research also found that buying Aussie products made shoppers feel good. Roy

Morgan CEO Michele Levine said that buying Australian-made drives a strong emotional response in consumers, with many Australians saying they feel positive or proud when they buy Australian-made.

86% Buying Australian made is important