Shoppers Are Making Healthy Choices as Inflation Eases

Since 2020, inflation and corresponding rising food costs have affected the shopping choices of many economically challenged consumers. In response, they shifted their spending habits to focus on essential goods and traded down for more affordable options.

Consumer prices hit their peak in 2022, but have since started to ease, and when it comes to food, consumers are indulging more financially both at home and dining out.¹ As consumers explore this new-found financial flexibility, they can re-prioritize healthy eating decisions.

Fresh, Premium Products Keep Consumers Coming Back for More

Long-lasting products with a generous shelf life add value for consumers. Longer shelf life and prolonged freshness means less food and money wasted and fewer trips to the grocery store. This demand for long-lasting, premium-quality products can pose challenges for manufacturers. With the help of Kemin solutions, food manufacturers can create products that provide value by staying fresher, safer, longer and appealing to consumers’ senses.

Consumers Reach for more Value-Adding Products

Food products with added benefits have more value to consumers—such as functional benefits or advantageous packaging. For example, many on-the-go consumers value convenient, individually packaged snacks that can easily go wherever they go. Similarly, perceived healthier foods also have added value. A series of research experiments have shown that consumers would pay 5.6% to 91.5% more for healthier foods, with an average of 30.7%, with a particular willingness to pay more for foods with reduced fat content.³

Produce High-Quality Products that Appeal to Consumers’ Senses

Today’s shoppers are re-prioritizing their health when making purchases, and they’re becoming more label conscious—on the lookout for clean labels and natural ingredients. And they want it all without sacrificing taste, texture, or quality.

With Kemin solutions, manufacturers can formulate products that stay fresher, safer, longer and appeal to label-conscious consumers.

References

1. Mintel, In-Store-Bakery-US-2024

2. FONA International, What’s Next in Clean Label: 2020 FONA National Clean Survey Special Report

3.Alsubhi M, Blake M, Nguyen T, Majmudar I, Moodie M, Ananthapavan J. Consumer willingness to pay for healthier food products: A systematic review. Obes Rev. 2023 Jan;24(1):e13525. doi: 10.1111/obr.13525. Epub 2022 Nov 7. PMID: 36342169; PMCID: PMC10909406.

4. Internal study, SD-24-26792

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