The majority of consumers (>75%) are confused about diet and health, which is pushing them to look for information and make up their own minds on what's healthy or not; this fragmentation of beliefs about diet and health creates a proliferation of niches in the marketplace.
Digestive health is a big motivator for changing dietary behaviours, with around a quarter of consumers avoiding gluten or lactose (even though less than 13% claim to actually be intolerant). Over 50% of consumers claim to be trying to eat fewer carbs, with cakes, cookies, bread, sugar and soft drinks the top targets for reduction. Attitudes towards fat are changing, with over 78% of consumers agreeing that not all fats are unhealthy, and almost 10% thinking fats are not bad at all. A significant number of consumers in all regions are trying to eat more healthy fats.
Over 50% of consumers claim to have meatless meals 1-3 times a week - this trend is stronger among younger consumers. Health concerns are the biggest motivator for 40% of consumers who are trying to reduce their alcohol consumption - younger consumers are more concerned about their alcohol intake than older consumers.
Table of Contents
1 - Summary
2 - Confusion and a fragmented market
3 - Digestive wellness
4 - Good carbs, bad carbs
5 - Fat reborn
6 - Plant-based
7 - Alcohol-free
List of Charts
Chart 1: What do you do when you want to know more about healthy eating & diet?
Chart 2: Actions that consumers are taking to improve their health (overall average)
Chart 3: Actions that consumers in Australia are taking to improve their health
Chart 4: Actions that consumers in Brazil are taking to improve their health
Chart 5: Actions that consumers in Spain are taking to improve their health
Chart 6: Actions that consumers in UK are taking to improve their health
Chart 7: Actions that consumers in US are taking to improve their health
Chart 8: Have you ever used a Gut Microbiome test for personal dietary advice?
Chart 9: Have you ever used a DNA test for personal dietary advice?
Chart 10: Consumers' beliefs about foods that are good for digestive health (overall average)
Chart 11: Consumers' beliefs about foods that are bad for digestive health (overall average)
Chart 12: Percentage of Brazilian consumers who believe these foods are good vs bad for digestive health
Chart 13: Percentage of Spanish consumers who believe these foods are good vs bad for digestive health
Chart 14: Percentage of UK consumers who believe these foods are good vs bad for digestive health
Chart 15: Percentage of US consumers who believe these foods are good vs bad for digestive health
Chart 16: What do consumers think probiotics are good for? (overall average)
Chart 17: What do Brazilian consumers think probiotics are good for?
Chart 18: What do Spanish consumers think probiotics are good for?
Chart 19: What do UK consumers think probiotics are good for?
Chart 20: What do US consumers think probiotics are good for?
Chart 21: Do you ever choose foods that are free from gluten or lactose?
Chart 22: Do you have any food intolerances?
Chart 23: Percentage of consumers that choose lactose-free foods
Chart 24: Percentage of consumers that choose gluten-free foods
Chart 25: Younger consumers are more likely to choose gluten- or lactose-free foods, as well as plant milks
Chart 26: Are you trying to eat less/fewer carbs?
Chart 27: Percentage of people who believe that eating too many refined carbs increases the risk of diabetes
Chart 28: Which carbs are you trying to eat less of? (overall average)
Chart 29: Which carbs are Australian consumers trying to eat less of?
Chart 30: Which carbs are Brazilian consumers trying to eat less of?
Chart 31: Which carbs are Spanish consumers trying to eat less of?
Chart 32: Which carbs are UK consumers trying to eat less of?
Chart 33: Which carbs are US consumers trying to eat less of?
Chart 34: Percentage of consumers who think that fat is unhealthy in 2017 vs 2018
Chart 35: Do you think fat is unhealthy?
Chart 36: Australian consumers' beliefs about healthy vs unhealthy fats
Chart 37: Brazilian consumers' beliefs about healthy vs unhealthy fats
Chart 38: Spanish consumers' beliefs about healthy vs unhealthy fats
Chart 39: UK consumers' beliefs about healthy vs unhealthy fats
Chart 40: US consumers' beliefs about healthy vs unhealthy fats
Chart 41: Percentage of consumers who are trying to eat more healthy fats, by country
Chart 42: How often do consumers have meatless meals? (overall average)
Chart 43: How often do Australian consumers have meatless meals?
Chart 44: How often do Brazilian consumers have meatless meals?
Chart 45: How often do Spanish consumers have meatless meals?
Chart 46: How often do UK consumers have meatless meals?
Chart 47: How often do US consumers have meatless meals?
Chart 48: Are you trying to reduce your alcohol consumption?
Chart 49: Why are you trying to reduce, or don't consume, alcohol?
Chart 50: Percentage of consumers trying to reduce their alcohol consumption, per country
Chart 51: Percentage of consumers trying to reduce their alcohol consumption, per age group
Chart 52: Reasons people are trying to reduce their alcohol consumption, per country
