Healthy eating is not a one-size fits all approach

Nine in 10 consumers view health holistically and believe it is important to adopt a well-balanced diet , but have different approaches to healthy eating according to a new survey.

Conducted by Fonterra’s wellbeing nutrition brand, Nutiani, which partnered with Ipsos, the survey polled 5,950 people across seven global markets on their perceptions and behaviours toward health and wellbeing.

“Proactive Pursuers” make up the biggest proportion of global consumers according to the survey.

These are people who adopt a scientific and highly disciplined approach towards food and are prepared to pay more for products they believe in.

Although consumers are more informed than ever, the majority do not feel sufficiently knowledgeable about healthy foods to make the right choices, resulting in barriers to managing their nutrition.

The findings also reinforced the need for brands to overcome common barriers to healthy eating such as taste, cost and convenience.

In addition, consumers are increasingly seeking sustainably-sourced and produced products, believing the responsibility is on manufacturers to create environmentally friendly value chains.

This expectation may also be contributing to a preference for natural and less-processed foods, which are known to have a lower environmental impact.

Fonterra’s director of active living Dan Luo says although consumers are recognising the importance of nutrition to achieve holistic health, existing solutions are not adequately addressing gaps in trust and information as well as emerging sustainability preferences.

“The commonalities in these unmet needs offer opportunities for innovation and consumer education to encourage them to adopt healthy diets.”

The report also looked into individual markets, examining the impact of macro-environment factors such as cultural norms, reliance on social media and perceived challenges, on consumer attitudes and behaviours.

Nutiani global brand marketing manager Charlotte Ortiz says the research shows that consumers are unified in taking a holistic approach to health, however, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

“There is a need for brands to develop tailored solutions with products and strategies that speak to consumers’ unique motivations while addressing the challenges they are facing,” she says.

NST