Page 71 - Ameft Journal 2021/1

(Source: Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)
Palsgaard Consumer Survey: Generation Z takes a stand
In a recent consumer survey con- ducted by the emulsifier specialist, Palsgaard there are several interesting insights among which is the choice of Generation Z voting for climate chan- ge. One third of the youngsters (32%) in the age group of 18-24-years old believe that climate change should be considered as the most important ethi- cal issue by food companies.
The survey reveals that consumers will pay for more sustainably produced ingredients despite COVID impact seri- ously. This is higher than the number who rank consumer health their top concern.
Consumers will pay for more sustai- nably produced ingredients despite the COVID impact. Most consumers will pay more for food and beverage pro- ducts containing sustainably produced ingredients, research by Palsgaard has shown.
The emulsifier specialist surveyed over 600 people in four countries.* It found that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the importance they place on price, but has not detracted from their focus on environmental issues.
Three quarters (75%) of respondents believed food companies have a lot of responsibility for protecting the envi- ronment, with 23% believing they have a little. More than nine in ten (92%) said it was important that the ingre- dients in the products they buy are produced sustainably, with 49% saying it was very important.
Eighty-two per cent said they would be willing to pay more for a food pro- duct containing sustainably produced ingredients. Nearly half (46%) would pay over 5% more and 17% would pay over 10% more. Environmental issues were found to be of particular concern to younger consumers. For 18-24 year olds, climate change was the ethical is- sue food companies should take most seriously.
Sustainability is a key concern for Palsgaard, which in 2018 became the first emulsifier producer to achieve CO2-neutral production at all its sites.
Jakob Thøisen, Palsgaard’s CEO, said: “We always believed that carbon neutrality was the right path to take from an ethical point of view. As this research shows, it also makes sound business sense. Consumers, especially younger ones, are increasingly focused on reducing their carbon footprints and will reward food manufacturers who share that commitment.”
The research also provides new in- sights into the effects of COVID-19 on food purchasing decisions. Over half (55%) of consumers said the price of products had become a more impor- tant factor since the pandemic, while 42% said it had made no change and only 3% said it had become less impor- tant.
However, this does not appear to have detracted from the focus on su- stainability. In fact, 41% of respondents said environmental concerns had be-
come more important since the pan- demic, with 55% saying there had been no change and only 4% saying they had become less important.
Jakob Thøisen said: “It would be understandable if the economic hard- ship caused by COVID-19 had pushed sustainability down the agenda. Ho- wever, we found that the opposite was true. This is perhaps because great change causes people to reflect and focus on the things that matter most. Whatever the reason, the food indus- try cannot afford to underestimate the importance of environmental issues to consumers.”
Palsgaard also asked consumers how they thought their purchasing behaviours would change post-pande- mic. Four in ten (40%) expected their households to buy groceries online more often, compared to 12% who said they would do so less often. Al- most half (47%) said they expected to eat out less often.
The same number (47%) said they expected to spend more on products for home cooking and baking. Millenni- al consumers (those aged 25-34) were the most likely to expect to increase their spending on home cooking and baking products (57%). Fifty-four per cent of consumers in Generation Z (those aged 18-24) said the same.
*Palsgaard surveyed 617 consumers (150 in Mexico, 162 in Singapore, 154 in the UK and 151 in the US) online bet- ween the 9th and 15th of June 2020.
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