One year after COVID-19, sales of plant proteins are steadily rising online.
WASHINGTON The International Food Information Council’s 2021 Food & Health Survey, which was issued on May 19, indicates that while the impact of COVID-19 on consumer habits regarding the purchase and consumption of food and beverages has lessened in some areas, it has not decreased in online ordering.
According to Joseph Clayton, CEO of Washington-based IFIC, “After more than a year of tremendous upheaval caused by a historic pandemic, Americans are craving stability and a return to normalcy when it comes to their food decisions.” “Those wishes are reflected in the 2021 Food & Health Survey, but it also shows evidence of longer-lasting trends from both before and during the pandemic.”
The study was carried out by Greenwald Research, Washington, using Dynata’s consumer panel. From March 23 to March 31, 1,014 Americans between the ages of 18 and 80 were contacted.
72% of respondents to the study stated that the epidemic had altered how they prepare and consume food, a decrease from 85% in April 2020.
20% of respondents this year, up from 11% in 2020, stated they purchase for food online at least once a week. Compared to other customers, younger consumers, African Americans, and parents are more likely to shop online for groceries.
Similar to the previous year, 63% of respondents indicated they buy for groceries in a store at least once a week.
“People’s shopping habits haven’t really changed,” according to IFIC’s director of research and nutrition communications, Ali Webster, PhD. “I believe that more people are adding internet shopping to their routines. We might not be making as many trips each week; sometimes, after work, you stop at the grocery store to pick up a few things.
According to her, customers now often shop in-store once a week and then augment their purchases online.
47% of respondents, down from 60% in 2020, indicated they were cooking more at home when asked how COVID-19 had affected their eating habits. Another decline was reported by 18% of respondents, who stated they were snacking more than 32% in 2020.
The epidemic spurred increased interest in immunity, which has persisted. According to this year’s survey, 66% of respondents stated they were either somewhat or extremely interested in immunity. The percentages were higher for parents with children under 18 (74%), and for customers with annual incomes over $35,000 (71%).
According to Dr. Webster, “people are hungry for information in this area.” “I believe this is a fantastic chance to present lucid, fact-based information about this. There are many subtleties and complexity in this subject.
Over the last five years, there has been a rise in the hunt for beneficial food ingredients. According to the 2021 poll, 27% of respondents—up from 17% in 2016—defined healthy eating as having nutrients, fruits, and vegetables. This year, 25% of respondents—a decrease from 35% in 2016—said that they considered healthy cuisine as devoid of harmful ingredients including sugar, fat, salt, and calories.
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In 2021, when asked what they were attempting to eat more of, protein ranked highest at over 60%, followed by fiber and vitamin D at over 55%. Calcium and whole grains also made up more than 50%.
Of those surveyed, 24% claimed to be consuming more plant-based protein than they did a year earlier. Additional top responses wereseafood (23%), chicken/eggs (22%), plant-based meat substitutes (19%), and plant-based dairy substitutes (18%).
People who limit or avoid sugar intake made up 72% of the population, down from 80% in 2019 but the same as the previous year. When asked which portion of the Nutrition Facts Label had the biggest impact on their decision to buy, total sugars came in first place with 25%, followed by total carbs with little over 20%. Dietary fiber and added sugars were both at 12%.
Another topic on the survey was clean label. Although 43% of respondents thought it was crucial for a meal or drink to have a limited number of components, 54% thought it was crucial for the ingredient list to avoid “chemical-sounding names.”
According to Dr. Webster, “people are far more willing to tolerate a longer ingredient list if they understand what those ingredients are.”
The importance of environmental sustainability declined in the poll this year, with 53% of respondents saying it was very or somewhat essential when making purchases—a decrease from 59% in 2020. Recyclable packaging was cited as the most common indicator of environmental sustainability by around 50% of consumers who stated they thought environmental sustainability of items was very or somewhat significant.
Meat and poultry were the top item chosen by 24% of respondents when asked what had the biggest detrimental impact on the environment, followed by bottled beverages at 14%.