Attitudes to Healthy Eating - UK - February 2015

INTRODUCTION
Definition
Abbreviations
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Market factors
Obesity remains high on government agenda
Sugar hits the media spotlight in 2014
Nutrition details on packaging confuse two in five
Fortified foods remain under scrutiny
New product trends
Minus claims dominate new launches with health claims
Figure 1: Share of launches with health* claims of all new products in the UK food market, 2010-14
Free-from leads in minus claims, low sugar leaps ahead in 2014
Plus claims are growing, though still small
Functional claims gain share in 2014
The consumer
More than a quarter of people worry about weight
Figure 2: Consumers’ health concerns, November 2014
Healthiness of food is more important than cost but behind taste
Figure 3: Factors deemed important* when purchasing food for home, November 2014
Three in five look for foods which count towards your 5-a-day
Figure 4: Factors influencing purchase of food for use at home, November 2014
Friends and family are relied on most for healthy eating advice
Figure 5: Resources used for advice/help on healthy eating, November 2014
Nutritional information still unclear to many
Figure 6: Attitudes towards healthy eating, November 2014
Many believe health claims are made without scientific proof
Figure 7: Attitudes towards products with health claims/benefits, November 2014
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
Scope for food industry to benefit from dispelling lack of trust in health claims
The facts
The implications
Confusion around nutritional labelling impedes healthy choices
The facts
The implications
Doubts about taste still burden light foods
The facts
The implications
TREND APPLICATION
Trend: Prove It
Trend: Help Me Help Myself
Mintel Future: Brand Intervention
MARKET DRIVERS
Key points
The Public Health Responsibility Deal
250kCal cap on single-serve confectionery
New salt targets
Obesity remains high on government agenda
Prevalence
Cost
Initiatives
NHS 2014 five-year plan
Sugar hits the media spotlight in 2014
Sweeteners continue to face scepticism
Nutrition details on packaging confuse two in five
Front of Pack Nutrition Labelling scheme
Two in five people find nutrition information confusing
Fortified foods remain under scrutiny
NEW PRODUCT TRENDS
Key points
Methodology
Minus claims dominate new launches with health claims
Figure 8: Share of launches with health** claims of all new products in the UK food market, 2010-14
Low/no/reduced allergen claims form the largest part of the minus claims category
Figure 9: Share of new product launches with minus claims in the overall UK food market, by claim, 2010-14
Low/no/reduced sugar claims leaped ahead in 2014
Three years of growth in the share of products making plus claims
Figure 10: Share of new product launches with plus claims in the overall UK food market, by claim, 2010-14
The share of products making high-fibre claims grew in 2014
An increase in high-protein claims contributed to the growth in plus claims in 2014
Vitamin/mineral fortification moves to new realms
The share of launches with functional claims increased in 2014
Figure 11: Share of new product launches with functional claims in the overall UK food market, 2010-14
Energy claims centre around ‘fuel for the day’
Bone health claims move to more indulgent categories
Selected products look to konjac for satiety proposition
Operators look to ‘superfoods’ for natural fortification
Branded NPD increases its share of launches with health claims
Figure 12: New product launches with health* claims in the food market, branded vs own-label, 2010-14
Coconut drives flavour and function in 2014
Figure 13: top 10 flavours (inc. blends) among new product launches featuring minus, functional or plus claims, 2014
BRAND RESEARCH
Key points
Methodology
Activia leads as caring, Weetabix as healthy
Figure 14: Top 10* food brands, by association with “A brand that cares about my health/ wellbeing”, 2013 and 2014
Figure 15: Top 10* food brands, by association with “Healthy”, 2013 and 2014
The ‘actively healthy’ proposition
Brands look to reassure shoppers of their taste credentials
The ‘naturally good for you’ brands
HEALTHY EATING TOPICS ONLINE
What you need to know
Online topics
Figure 16: Online mentions of selected topics, October 2011-January 2015
Research on obesity ensures its presence in online discussions
Figure 17: Topic cloud around obesity, October 2011-January 2015
Eating healthily represents a lifestyle change
Figure 18: Topic cloud around healthy eating, October 2011-January 2015
Discussion around healthy eating tends to be somewhat seasonal
Figure 19: Conversation around healthy eating, by month, October 2011-January 2015
Consumer interest in healthy eating peaks in January…
…with a little encouragement required to keep interest sustained past February
Five-a-day could be more encouraging towards including children
Figure 20: Topic cloud around five-a-day mentions, October 2011-January 2015
Sugar content topic cloud reveals diabetes as a main concern
Figure 21: Topic cloud around sugar content, October 2011-January 2015
Superfoods make up parts of different healthy eating aims
Figure 22: Topic cloud around superfoods, October 2011-January 2015
Figure 23: Mentions of selected superfoods, October 2011-January 2015
Versatility influences online mentions context
Figure 24: Correlation between mentions referencing superfood status, and mentions referencing health benefits, October 2011-January 2015
Red meat links to discussion of health concerns, while research may drive increase in topic mentions
Figure 25: Topic cloud around red meat mentions, October 2011-January 2015
Salt content topics similar to sugar but fewer mentions may indicate lower concern
Figure 26: Topic cloud around salt content mentions, October 2011-January 2015
THE CONSUMER – HEALTH CONCERNS
Key points
More than a quarter of people worry about weight
Figure 27: Consumers’ health concerns, November 2014
A quarter of people are concerned about tiredness
Joint health concerns are far more prevalent than bone health
Figure 28: Most common consumer health concerns, by gender and generation, November 2014
THE CONSUMER – FACTORS INFLUENCING PURCHASE OF FOOD FOR HOME
Key points
Healthiness of food is more important than cost but behind taste
Figure 29: Factors deemed important* when purchasing food for home, November 2014
Food must deliver on taste, though low price remains front of mind
Three in five think about the healthiness of food
Fuller for longer is an important choice factor for half of people
Three in 10 look to food for an energy boost
THE CONSUMER – NUTRITIONAL ATTRIBUTES SOUGHT FROM FOOD
Key points
Three in five look for foods which count towards your 5-a-day
Figure 30: Factors influencing purchase of food for use at home, November 2014
The nation is falling short of its 5-a-day target
Opportunity for more ‘low in’ launches
Many people avoid sweeteners
Discrepancies between health concerns and products sought
THE CONSUMER – RESOURCES USED FOR ADVICE/HELP ON HEALTHY EATING
Key points
Friends and family are relied on most for healthy eating advice
Figure 31: Resources used for advice/help on healthy eating, November 2014
Use of healthy eating apps remains low
Younger cohorts seek out advice the most
Only one in four people have used traffic light labelling
THE CONSUMER – ATTITUDES TOWARDS HEALTHY EATING
Key points
Nutritional information still unclear to many
Figure 32: Attitudes towards healthy eating, November 2014
Half of people find it hard to keep track of their dietary intake
Messages centred on speed and taste should boost healthy products
THE CONSUMER – ATTITUDES TOWARDS PRODUCTS WITH HEALTH CLAIMS/BENEFITS
Key points
Many believe health claims are made without scientific proof
Figure 33: Attitudes towards products with health claims/benefits, November 2014
Functional labelling seen to lack clarity
A third of consumers prefer products naturally high in nutrients
Natural fortification
Three in 10 associate protein with satiety