The cost of living crisis has seen sustainability become less of a priority for many. Improving confidence will support interest in this issue regaining momentum in the sustainable food market. Less than a quarter of UK shoppers list buying more sustainable products among the top three changes they expect to make to food and drink shopping once the cost of living crisis eases.
Sustainability Trends in The Food Industry
With less than three-quarters of UK consumers doubting the honesty of food and drink companies regarding their efforts to reduce their environmental impact, winning consumer trust will be crucial for brands to tap into the expected growing interest in sustainability. While external certifications still offer a pertinent means to bolster consumer trust, brands will need to drive awareness of what such certifications entail in order to combat scepticism.
Seven in ten UK adults think it’s important to have a diet which is both heathy and sustainable. Efforts to eat healthily are expected to rise, dialling up the need for brands with a sustainable positioning to be seen as keeping pace with ‘standard’ counterparts on their better-for-you credentials.
Key Issues Covered in this Report:
- The prevalence of and barriers to buying food and drink with sustainability claims, including how only a minority choose these for all the products they buy and the role of price as the primary barrier
- Behaviours related to sustainability in food and drink, including distrust of and confusion regarding sustainability claims
- Sustainability-related attributes that would most encourage shoppers to buy food and drink, such as products being sourced/produced in the UK
- Attitudes towards sustainability in food and drink, including the high importance for foods to be both healthy and sustainable.
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Meet The Expert
This report is written by Isabelle Shilling. Isabelle has been with Mintel since 2021, in her current role she writes and produces reports which cover a variety of topics within the UK food and drink industry.
Increasing financial confidence will support growing interest in sustainability. Combatting consumer distrust of claims will be crucial to unlock this opportunity.
Isabelle Shilling
Research Analyst
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Executive Summary
- Opportunities
- Widespread doubts about companies’ green efforts
- Build trust in sustainability claims
- Apprehension of trying a new product is a barrier
- Showcase how sustainable products offer a like-for-like swap
- Many look for both health and sustainability
- Consumers look for their diets to be both healthy and sustainable
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Improving financial confidence sees sustainability gain traction
- Government targets keep up the pressure for green progress
- What consumers want and why
- Taste and price are paramount in consumer choice
- Graph 1: most important factors when buying food and drink products, 2022 and 2024
- Only one in ten choose sustainable food and drink products all of the time
- Sustainability is a low priority for consumers
- Graph 2: frequency of choosing sustainable food and drink products, 2022 and 2024
- Price remains the top barrier to buying more sustainability
- Graph 3: barriers to choosing food and drink products with sustainability claims, 2022 and 2024
- High expectation that regulators ensure food and drink products are sustainable
- Graph 4: behaviours related to sustainability in food and drink, 2024
- No sustainability-related claim attracts majority interest
- Graph 5: most appealing sustainability-related claims when choosing food/drink, 2022 and 2024
- High importance attached to diets being both healthy and sustainable
- Graph 6: attitudes towards sustainability in food and drink, 2024
- Launch activity and innovation
- Environmentally friendly product claims gain share of food and drink launches
- Graph 7: share of food and drink product launches with an environmentally friendly product claim, 2018-23
- Recycling claims lead, sustainable habitat/resource claims hold ground
- Graph 8: food and drink launches by ethical claim, 2019-23
- Paper-based packaging and steps to reduce cows’ environmental impact continue to attract attention
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Market Dynamics
- Macro-economic factors
- Economic output has stagnated since the cost of living crisis began
- Graph 9: GDP, 2021-23
- Inflation is still the key factor affecting consumers’ finances
- Graph 10: CPI inflation rate, 2021-23
- Interest rates expected to fall in 2024, but borrowing pressures will remain
- Food and drink prices still top the list of consumer concerns
- Graph 11: “Have you been affected by any of these issues over the last two months? Please select all that apply.”, 2023
- Consumer sentiment: the recovery is continuing…
- Graph 12: the financial wellbeing index, 2016-23
- …and people feel more confident about their financial prospects
- Graph 13: the financial confidence index, 2016-23
- Social and non-regulatory factors
- Flexitarian trend firmly mainstream…
- Graph 14: meat eating habits, 2018-23
- Younger generations’ future choices are a key question for meat reduction trend
- Graph 15: meat eating habits, by age, 2023
- Strong consumer interest in eating healthily
- Graph 16: how often people try to eat healthily, 2018-22 and 2024
- Courtauld Commitment sets green targets for 2030…
- …WRAP’s progress report finds” significant action” needed on food waste
- Government urged to implement mandatory public food waste reporting
- Asda sets out new sustainability approach for suppliers
- Regulatory and legislative changes
- Sustainability is a key objective of National Food Strategy
- COP28 recognises food’s role in climate change
- IGD publishes recommendations for eco-labelling for food and drink products…
- …but government puts plans on hold
- Environmental Land Management Schemes replace CAP farm subsidies…
- …with updates in 2022 and 2024
- DRS postponed until 2027
- Extended Producer Responsibility delayed until 2025
- Genetic Technology Bill opens up opportunities for precision fermentation
- CMA to investigate FMCG ‘greenwashing’
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What Consumers Want and Why
- Prevalence of buying sustainable food and drink products
- Taste and price are paramount in consumer choice
- Graph 17: most important factors when buying food and drink products, 2023 and 2024
- Sustainability is a low priority for consumers…
- Graph 18: frequency of choosing sustainable food and drink products, 2022 and 2024
- …but on the radar for four in five
- One in five 16-34s report choosing sustainable products for all food/drink they buy
- Graph 19: frequency of choosing food and drink products with sustainable claims, by age, 2024
- Parents are more likely to choose sustainable products
- Children influence parents’ green choices…
- …fuelling demand for sustainable products
- Barriers to buying food and drink products with sustainability claims
- Many see food and drink products with sustainability claims as too expensive
- Graph 20: barriers to choosing food and drink products with sustainability claims, 2022 and 2024
- Price remains the top barrier to buying more sustainably
- Rising financial confidence will see sustainability become more front of mind
- Graph 21: frequency of choosing sustainable food and drink products, by financial situation, 2024
- Tips for choices benefiting the planet and budget will appeal
- Lower prices would help meat substitutes and dairy alternatives win favour
- Many prefer using products that they are used to…
- …highlighting the importance of advice
- Distrust and confusion are minority barriers to shopping sustainably
- Behaviours related to sustainability in food
- Many doubt the honesty of food and drink companies
- Graph 22: behaviours related to sustainability in food and drink, 2024
- Securing consumer trust has potential to win standout for brands
- High expectation that regulators ensure food and drink products are sustainable
- Many would find a ‘traffic light’ style label helpful
- Simplified and comprehensive messages warrant exploration
- Make sustainability information easily accessible
- Partnering with external bodies can bolster trust
- Tony’s Chocolonely explains B Corp process
- Most appealing sustainability-related claims
- No sustainability-related claim attracts majority interest
- Graph 23: most appealing sustainability-related claims when choosing food/drink, 2022 and 2024
- Packaging claims appeal widely
- Green packaging updates will chime
- Communicate tangible benefits of choosing sustainable options
- Highlighting UK provenance remains firmly warranted
- Attitudes towards sustainability in food
- High importance attached to diets being both healthy and sustainable
- Graph 24: attitudes towards sustainability in food and drink, 2024
- Healthy eating efforts gain momentum
- Graph 25: types of food and drink products people most expect to buy more of once the cost of living crisis eases, 2024
- Meat and dairy substitutes mustn’t be seen to be lagging on nutrition
- Spell out health benefits of sustainable swaps
- Strong Roots and Hippeas offers inspiration
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Innovation Trends
- Launch activity and innovation
- Environmentally friendly product claims gain share of food and drink launches
- Graph 26: share of food and drink product launches with an environmentally friendly product claim, 2018-23
- Recycling claims lead, sustainable habitat/resource claims hold ground
- Graph 27: food and drink launches by ethical claim, 2019-23
- Recyclability lacks standout, sustainable habitat claims range from FSC-certification to deforestation
- New food and drink launches with sustainable habitat claims
- B Corp certifications on the rise in food and drink launches
- Graph 28: food and drink launches with “B Corporation” or “B Corp” in product description, 2019-23
- New entrants with B Corp certification
- Established players explore paper packaging across food…
- …and drink
- Hellmann’s helps consumers combat food waste
- Sainsbury’s launches lower carbon beef range, M&S invests in dairy cows
- Tesco partners with NatWest to help farmers decarbonise
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Appendix
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations and terms
- Methodology
- Consumer research methodology
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