5 Sources of Insight for Responsible Living

Amy Bond, Assistant Librarian and Information Specialist

One of the Consumer Lifestyle Trends that Bord Bia have identified as impacting the world of Food and Drink is Responsible Living. This trend relates to the ways in which consumers are striving to become more mindful citizens ("Bord Bia Consumer Lifestyle Trends - Responsible Living", 2022). Below are some new resources that can help provide insight into what is driving this trend.

1. Mintel, The Ethical Food Consumer – UK (June, 2021). This report will help you understand what is driving ethical food shopping in the UK. Increased consumer awareness of environmental issues, stoked by media coverage of the pandemic, offers considerable growth potential for ethical food and drink. However, widespread consumer doubts over whether their actions make a difference and uncertainty over what the different certifications stand for pose considerable barriers to encouraging more ethical shopping habits.

2. Euromonitor, Sustainable Labels and the Environmental Footprint of Food (December, 2021). This global overview of the environmental climate cost of food concludes that current upcoming solutions have the potential to reduce GHG emissions from agriculture by 60%, without a change in consumption. Challenging the perception that abandonment of animal foods is the only way for a sustainable food industry, regenerative farming of livestock is emerging as a key pillar of the food industry's carbon reduction plans, which depend on the restoration of farm land, where food security is most needed.

3. GlobalData, Consumer Survey Insights: Aligning With Consumer Values (December, 2021). This report presents the results of a global consumer survey looking at how brands should align with their consumer’s values. In Q3 2021, a majority of global consumers (58%) agreed that they would buy more products from brands that aligned with their personal beliefs, and a sizable minority (41%) agreed that they would boycott brands that did not align with their personal beliefs.

4. FMCG Gurus, Sustainability Consumer Survey, Q1 2022 (February, 2022). FMCG Gurus have recently released their latest sustainability survey data for multiple markets around the world, including markets in Europe, Asia and North America. These provide statistics on consumers’ attitudes towards the environment, on pack claim, recycling, food waste and carbon footprint.

5. IGD, Sustainability in Q4 2021 (January, 2022). In this report IGD highlight 10 sustainability case studies they have spotted in the food and CPG industry around the world, during Q4 2021. Retailers and suppliers continue to place an emphasis on refillable store trials, alongside deposit return schemes and testing alternative packaging to plastic. Additionally, retailers continue to support local communities and invest in technology to improve its operations.

These reports can help Irish food and drink producers understand what Responsible Living means to consumers, and how you can communicate with them in a way that resonates with their concerns. They can also give insight into industry response to the trend to prepare you to meet customer expectations in supporting their initiatives. For more information contact thethinkinghouse@bordbia.ie.

References

Bord Bia Consumer Lifestyle Trends - Responsible Living. (2022). Retrieved 16 February 2022, from https://www.bordbia.ie/industry/insights/consumer-lifestyle-trends/responsible-living/

Euromonitor. (2021). Sustainable Labels and the Environmental Footprint of Food. Euromonitor. Retrieved from http://www.euromonitor.com

FMCG Gurus. (2022). Sustainability Consumer Survey, Q1 2022. FMCG Gurus. Retrieved from http://www.fmcggurus.com

GlobalData. (2021). Consumer Survey Insights: Aligning With Consumer Values. GlobalData. Retrieved from http://www.globaldata.com

IGD. (2022). Sustainability in Q4 2021. IGD. Retrieved from http://www.igd.com

Mintel. (2021). The Ethical Food Consumer. Mintel. Retrieved from http://www.mintel.com