Better for you, not best for you: Consumers in India are adopting a debit-and-credit approach to health maintenance Whilst consumers in India are becoming more conscious about their health, it is important not to overestimate the extent that all eating and drinking occasions are governed by the desire to optimize physical and mental wellness. For instance, the healthiness of eating and drinking occasions is something that tend to vary throughout the day. Consumption occasions for example tend to be less health-orientated and more indulgent-driven, as factors such as the desire for escapism and energy have a greater influence on product choice. This means that consumers will adopt a debit-and-credit approach to healthy living, trying to maintain a balanced diet most of the time in order to justify the occasional moment of uncompromised indulgence. The reality is that over the next twelve months, consumers will continue to snack and treat themselves for escapism purposes, whilst being conscious that such consumption occasions conflict with wider health goals. As such, they will want products that bridge these two need states, offering taste and nutrition in a guilt-free manner.
I like to enjoy moments of indulgence where I pay little to no attention to the nutritional content of food and drink (2020) 41%
21% 15%
14% 9%
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Not sure
Agree
Strongly agree
In the last 12 months, how often have you eaten less healthy food because you felt unhappy (2020) 42% 34%
14% 10%
Never
Rarely
Occasionally
Regularly
Regional consumer trend updates: India | 7
