Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Top takeaways
- Market overview
- Impact of COVID-19 on attitudes towards healthy eating
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- Figure 1: Short-, medium- and longer-term impact of COVID-19 on attitudes towards healthy eating
- Opportunities
- Focus on functional benefits to validate food choices
- Lean into familiar ingredients that stay fresher longer
- Now is the time to elevate the joy of cooking for young Millennial men
- Challenges
- Younger consumers lack clarity on healthy eating – information consumption may be contributing to the problem
- Food and immunity: interest is high, action is not – yet
The Market – Key Takeaways
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- Two-in-three Canadians are overweight or obese
- Canada’s Food Guide saw a revamp and update to include info on eating during the pandemic
- Preventative measures changed how Canadians shop for food and the ingredients they bought
- The role of food-at-home has more significance
- The face of the nation is literally changing; health considerations must adjust accordingly
- The cost of food is expected to rise
Market Factors
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- Nearly two-thirds of Canadians are overweight or obese
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- Figure 2: Distribution of underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese, by age, 2018
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- Figure 3: Overweight or obese, men vs women, 2018
- Updates to Canada’s Food Guide: a relaunch in 2019 and info for eating during the COVID-19 pandemic
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- Figure 4: Canada Food Guide Instagram post, January 2019
- To better support Canadians, specific resources were added in light of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Preventative measures shape changes in grocery shopping habits and lists
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- Figure 5: Grocery shopping frequency, 2018 vs 2020, May 2018/June 2020
- Eating out is now a home-based activity
- Food-at-home is now central in satiating emotions
- Home cooking and foodservice really is an inverse relationship these days
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- Figure 6: Canadian retail trade and food and beverage store sales, January-November 2020
- Figure 7: Canadian basket weight for food components, February-October 2020
- Food costs are expected to rise; savings from eating out less may not go as far
- Functional claims need to be more of a focus given an aging population
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- Figure 8: Population aged 0-14 and 65+, 1995-2035*
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- Figure 9: Eating healthy is important for my physical wellbeing’ (% agree), by age, September 2020
- Diversity in the population brings an openness to new flavours and a wider range of health concerns
- Immigration will drive a shift in health concerns
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- Figure 10: Proportion of foreign-born population in Canada, 1981-2036
- A richer cultural mosaic opens new possibilities in ‘healthy eating’
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- Figure 11: Self-identification of ethnicity, by generation, June 2020
Competitive Strategies – A Global View
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- Meeting consumer needs through the lens of the Wellbeing Trend Driver
- All hands on deck: food and physical health come into focus for more than just food-related retailers
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- Figure 12: IKEA Japan Instagram post, April 2020
- Meeting consumer needs through the lens of the Technology Trend Driver
- Toss it up: mixing greens and games to encourage better eating habits
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- Figure 13: Kostministeriet Facebook posts, June 2020
- Meeting consumer needs through the lens of the Experiences Trend Driver
- Extending the brand experience: pivoting to continue providing relevant experiences
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- Figure 14: Post Cereals Facebook posts, July 2020
- Meeting consumer needs through the lens of the Surroundings Trend Driver
- Updating food guidelines to include climate-friendly actions
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- Figure 15: Fødevarestyrelsen Instagram post, January 2021
- Meeting consumer needs through the lens of the Identity Trend Driver
- Tapping into common interests to encouraging connection in disconnected times
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- Figure 16: OREO Instagram post, December 2020
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
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- It’s a little stretchy: the Canadian approach to healthy eating is not as well balanced as they think
- Eating healthy? Sure, it’s as clear as mud for younger consumers
- Comfort is key: food and emotional wellness are a true pairing
- Mindset towards healthy eating hasn’t changed much even though eating habits have
- Food and immunity: interest is high, action is not
Approach to Healthy Eating
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- Canadians’ approach to healthy eating is somewhat elastic
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- Figure 17: Likelihood to eat foods considered healthy, September 2020
- Consider helping consumers balance comfort with action through validation of choices
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- Figure 18: NightFood Instagram post, July 2020
- Help balance comfort with action by being a resource for bonding over eating occasions
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- Figure 19: Keelings Instagram post, August 2020
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- Figure 20: Keelings Instagram post, September 2020
- Aging and women: physiological changes drive increased attention to physical health
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- Figure 21: Likelihood to eat foods considered healthy, September 2020
- Normalizing menopause and its symptoms will count
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- Figure 22: Me.No.Pause - Supporting Women Through Menopause Naturally, February 2019
Knowledge about Healthy Eating
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- Younger Canadians lack clarity on how to eat healthy
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- Figure 23: ‘It is difficult to know which foods are healthy and which are not’ (% agree), by age, September 2020
- Consuming visual content consumption may leave folks ‘lite’ on nutritional info
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- Figure 24: Basically Instagram post, January 2021
- Consider taking inspiration from modern financial experts to reach young people
- This is urgent: a lack of clarity has a trickling effect to the next generation
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- Figure 25: ‘It is difficult to know which foods are healthy and which are not’ (% agree), parents with under-5s vs overall, September 2020
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- Figure 26: Concern about healthiness of children’s diet and difficulty finding healthy foods that appeal to children (% agree), by age of children at home, September 2020
- Acknowledging the knowledge gap is an important first step to connecting with young parents
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- Figure 27: Solly Baby post, October 2020
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- Figure 28: Dove Men+Care Global Channel, August 2020
- Figure 29: Dove Men+Care Global Channel, September 2020
- Proactive changes in menu offerings for kids will resonate – now more than ever
Food and Emotional Wellness
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- Healthy eating and emotional wellness go hand in hand
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- Figure 30: Select attitudes towards healthy eating and managing emotional wellness, September 2020
- Lean into the familiar as Canadian cooks are creatures of comfort
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- Figure 31: Instant Pot Instagram post, January 2020
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- Figure 32: California Pizza Kitchen Crispy Thin Crust Plant Based BBQ Recipe Pizza (US), January 2021
- Figure 33: President’s Choice Instagram post, November 2020
- Women are more likely to associate comfort with eating healthy foods, so dial up functionality
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- Figure 34: Select attitudes towards healthy eating and managing emotional wellness, men vs women, September 2020
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- Figure 35: Kellogg's Müsli Mezlca de Cereales Tostados con Almendras (Mexico), December 2019
- Figure 36: Peak Chocolate Rest Night Time Dark Chocolate (Australia), October 2019
- Consider ways to combine relaxing rituals with food and drink to enhance the emotional aspect
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- Figure 37: The Republic of Tea Beautifying Botanicals Beauty Sleep Chamomile Rose Tea (US), October 2020
- Nostalgia is a key player when thinking of food and stress relief for young men and fathers
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- Figure 38: ‘I often eat processed foods from my childhood to help me manage stress’ (% any agree), men 18-34 and fathers with under-18s at home vs overall, September 2020
- Opportunity exists to build unity over nostalgic foods
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- Figure 39: Chex Mix Facebook posts, May 2020
Shifts in Approach to Healthy Eating and Eating Habits
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- Approach to healthy eating hasn’t changed; how Canadians are eating has
- Consumer likelihood to be eating healthfully remains stable
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- Figure 40: Likelihood to eat foods considered healthy, September 2020 vs November 2017
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- Figure 41: Change in frequency of eating healthy, September 2020
- The context has changed, shifting eating motivations and patterns
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- Figure 42: Change in eating and cooking habits since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, September 2020
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- Figure 43: Reasons for eating healthfully more or less often this year, September 2020
- Food and immunity: interest is high, action is not – it’s a good time to connect
- Interest in boosting immunity through food is elevated
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- Figure 44: Attitudes towards healthy eating and physical wellness and interest in boosting immunity through food (% any agree), September 2020
- But few make immunity-boosting foods a top consideration
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- Figure 45: Most important factors when choosing healthy food and beverages, September 2020
- Context shapes behaviours, connecting the dots needs to fit the context
- Don’t force it; fit in functional benefits to existing routines for the win
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- Figure 46: Nutrify Natural FibreWater (Denmark), September 2020
- Young Millennial men are eating healthy more often to cope
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- Figure 47: Change in frequency of eating healthy and reasons for eating healthfully more often, men 25-34 vs overall, September 2020
- Eating at home more creates opportunities to tie in the emotional benefits of cooking
- Consider ways of elevating all elements related to the joy of cooking
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- Figure 48: PC Chef Instagram post, December 2020
- Consider partnering with step-saving cooking appliances to make the cooking process easier
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- Figure 49: Cooks Illustrated Instagram post, February 2021
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- Figure 50: Instant Pot Facebook post, February 2021
- Be a resource and a community
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- Figure 51: Instant Pot Zesty Lemon Chicken, April 2019
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- Figure 52: Instant Pot Facebook community page, February 2021
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations
- Terms
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