Recent global research conducted by Corbion uncovers compelling new insights into consumer attitudes and perceptions towards food in the post-pandemic world. For manufacturers and retailers hoping to gain a broader understanding of how these perceptions and attitudes might translate into actionable insights and trends, this primary research provides a wealth of knowledge around global consumer behavior.  

The research consisted of in-depth interviews with 54 consumers from 9 countries in North America, Central America, South America, Asia, and Europe, and encompassed a full range of demographics. Questions focused on consumer perceptions of food, food manufacturing, and on the motivators shaping their behavior in the post-pandemic world.

According to the International Food Information Council, around 60% of consumers in the United States reported experiencing stress in 2023.(1)  

In fact, Corbion global research found that consumers are experiencing anxieties in four fundamental life areas: 

Financial stress: Will I lose my job?  

Consumers fear inflation, potential layoffs, loss of a job, or challenging on-the-job situations. These and other worries are creating global insecurities around individual and family finances and retirement. 

Health Insecurities: Will I be healthy? 

Even several years after the official end of the pandemic, COVID continues to loom large in the consumer consciousness. Consumers worry about when the ‘next wave’ of Covid-19 will be or the next pandemic of an entirely different kind. To combat these fears, consumers are prioritizing prevention and indulging in health and wellbeing. 

Daily Time Insecurity: Will I have enough time?  

Industry-wide, food makers often underestimate the importance of consumer attitudes toward time. The reality is that time is becoming scarcer for consumers, and they increasingly fear that they may not be fulfilling their daily obligations and hectic schedules around themselves and their loved ones. 

Societal/Climate Change Insecurity: Will I be safe? What will the future hold? 

Political strife and conflicts around the world continue to make headlines, leaving consumers anxious about the future. With awareness of extreme weather events increasing, people no longer see climate change as a distant phenomenon, but as a present threat that will only get worse as time goes on. 

Source: Corbion

So, what does it all mean for the future of food? 

Over 50% of United States consumers who reported some level of stress say that their anxiety leads to “somewhat” or “much less healthy” food consumption habits (IFIC survey 2023) (2). Factor in their increasingly hectic lifestyles, and more consumers yearn for quicker, fulfilling food solutions that also meet their nutritional needs.  

That said, it’s clear that consumers are employing various strategies to cope with feelings of loss of control which vary according to where they live. While some consumers’ behavior is becoming less healthy, others are becoming more proactive in terms of how they manage their health, their time, and their information in their everyday lives.

Time management is a particular challenge in North America. As a result, consumers- across all demographics- are seeking convenient food solutions that ‘buy them more time’. That said, factors like price, quality and health are still foundational to their purchasing decisions.

How can food manufacturers proactively help consumers?

1. Remember Health. Regardless of any current attitude shifts, food manufacturers must remember that health trumps all other consumer concerns. It must therefore be at the center of all we do. It’s no longer enough to make a simple health claim on a label or include a healthy ingredient in a formulation. To earn consumer trust, health must become core to our business models- and manufacturers/retailers must communicate this to the consumer.

2. Consider time. Next, manufacturers can’t forget the extent to which today’s consumers value time. New and innovative ways must be found to help consumers manage their busy lives while still delivering the quality and convenience they need. Ensuring products that are more appliance “friendly” (i.e., air fryers), will resonate with consumers, especially among younger generations. 

3. Partner in prep. Remember that even though consumers are devoting less time to meals, most still prefer to cook at home. Many consumers are turning to semi- or fully-prepared foods to save time. When asked to describe a typical dinner preparation, 48% of survey respondents reported that they mix scratch-cooked and semi-and fully prepared items together when they prepare a meal (The Power of Meat, 2024). Ready -to - Heat and Ready-to- Eat meal solutions are already seeing great success in this space.   

Source: Corbion

4. Deliver quality. Of course, the demand for quality never goes away. The critical product attributes of freshness, taste, price, and safety are always on the minds of consumers, particularly when purchasing proteins. It is essential to communicate this on the package. (Corbion Proprietary Survey, 2023). 

5. Educate, educate, educate.  The last critical thing manufacturers can do to help consumers with their buying decisions is to create clearer paths to genuine educational information about the food they eat. This means creating more than just ad and marketing messages and partnering with consumers in their genuine desire to learn more about the foods they eat.

Today’s consumer wants it all and is actively searching for products that combine health, convenience, and quality all in one. 

That is the challenge consumers are currently presenting to food makers. Those manufacturers and retailers who can rise to that challenge, understand consumer pain points, and offer solutions that address those pain points are the ones who will succeed in this anxious post-pandemic world.  

1. International Food Information Council. 2023 Food & Health Survey. 23 May 2023. [https://foodinsight.org/2023-food-health-survey/]
2. Ibid.