Natural and organic foods/drinks, if anything, have benefited from the pandemic. When asked about how their behaviours have changed compared to before the pandemic, more than four times the number of Canadians claim they are purchasing more organic and/or natural foods than less. This is yet another reflection of natural and organic’s continued mainstreaming as consumers continue to demand foods and drinks in these spaces and as producers continue to innovate. This Report examines the associations Canadians make with natural/organic foods, what claims resonate and general attitudes towards these products. Consistent with other Mintel Reports, demographic differences are outlined and explored in this Report to provide added depth to topline findings to help readers hone messaging and product development initiatives in order to relate to relevant consumer targets.

• The impact of COVID-19 on consumer behaviour and the natural/organic market.

• Differences in perceptions of and attitudes towards natural/organic foods and drinks.

• Perceived benefits and detriments of eating and drinking natural/organic foods and drinks.

• Who is more and less open to products in this space.

For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has asked consumers about their behaviours and attitudes towards foods and drinks they perceive to be:

• Natural products (ie "All-natural" or "Made with Natural Ingredients")

• Organic products (ie "100% Organic")

• Traditional/mainstream products (eg products that don't specify natural or organic on package).

This Report was written in March and April 2021. Consumer research was conducted in February 2021 and reflects consumer attitudes during the pandemic period.

At the time of writing on April 5th, the number of confirmed cases in Canada had reached 1,000,545 and 23,050 deaths. Furthermore, 10.12% of the population have received one vaccine dose and 1.75% two doses. Lockdowns persist in different regions as cases of COVID-19 increase and ‘variants’ become more prominent.