Table of Contents
Scope and Themes
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- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer survey data
- Advertising creative
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Executive Summary
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- Overview
- Baby food and drink market size and forecast
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- Figure 1: Total U.S. sales and fan chart forecast of baby food and drink, at current prices, 2007-17
- Baby food and drink segment performance
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- Figure 2: Sales of baby food and drink, segmented by type, 2007-17
- Decline in birthrate shrinks baby food and drink consumer base
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- Figure 3: Fertility rate, by race and ethnicity, 2010
- Full-time employment drives baby formula and store-bought food usage
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- Figure 4: Parents' behaviors toward feeding their child(ren), by employment, February 2013
- Interest in all-natural and organic products adds momentum to market
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- Figure 5: New baby food and drink product launches, by organic and not organic, 2007-13*
- Supermarkets suffer as consumers turn to value shopping experience
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- Figure 6: Total U.S. retail sales of baby food and drink, by channel, at current prices, 2010 and 2012
- Three brands account for 87% of category sales
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- Figure 7: MULO sales of baby food and drink, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2012 and 2013
- Parents more likely to use formula but not necessarily store-bought food
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- Figure 8: Parents' behaviors toward feeding their child(ren) younger than one, February 2013
- Figure 9: Parents' behaviors toward feeding their child(ren) younger than three, February 2013
- Price, all-natural ingredients, and convenience most important to parents
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- Figure 10: Important characteristics when purchasing baby food and drink, February 2013
- Nutrition and safety on the minds of most parents
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- Figure 11: Important nutritional characteristics when purchasing baby food and drink, February 2013
- What we think
Issues in the Market
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- What can the industry do to counter the effects of declining birthrates?
- What role does nutrition play in the baby/toddler food market?
- How can the industry address concerns over product safety?
Insights and Opportunities
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- Expanding market beyond babies and toddlers
- Positioning pureed fruits and vegetables for adults
- Ethnic and exotic flavors may appeal to young adults
- Baby food products that offer versatility in usage
Trend Applications
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- Trend: Factory Fear
- Trend: Buydeology
- Mintel Futures: Access Anything, Anywhere
Market Size and Forecast
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- Key points
- Declining birthrates, struggling economy, price instability obstruct growth
- Economic recovery, innovation, and market expansion will drive category
- Sales and forecast of baby food and drink
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- Figure 12: Total U.S. retail sales and forecast of baby food and drink, at current prices, 2007-17
- Figure 13: Total U.S. retail sales and forecast of baby food and drink, at inflation adjusted prices, 2007-17
- Fan chart forecast
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- Figure 14: Total U.S. sales and fan chart forecast of baby food and drink, at current prices, 2007-17
Market Drivers
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- Key points
- Declining fertility rates challenge baby food and drink market growth
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- Figure 15: Fertility rate, by race and ethnicity, 2010
- Full-time employment drives use of store-bought baby/toddler food
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- Figure 16: Parents' behaviors toward feeding their child(ren), by employment, February 2013
- Organic movement has hit baby food market
Competitive Context
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- Breast milk still number one source of nutrition for baby
- Homemade baby/toddler food used by more parents than store-bought food
- Adult foods, such as cereals, compete for growing babies
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- Figure 17: Cheerios TV ad, “Two Generations,” 2012
Segment Performance
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- Key points
- Baby formula remains dominant, but baby food growth rate much higher
- Sales of baby food and drink, by segment
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- Figure 18: Sales of baby food and drink, segmented by type, 2010 and 2012
Segment Performance – Baby Formula
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- Key points
- Baby formula to continue to drive slow category sales growth
- Sales and forecast of baby formula
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- Figure 19: Sales and forecast of baby formula, at current prices, 2007-17
Segment Performance – Baby Food and Snacks
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- Key points
- Baby food and snacks fares relatively well in recession recovery
- Sales and forecast of baby food and snacks
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- Figure 20: Sales and forecast of baby food and snacks, at current prices, 2007-17
Segment Performance – Baby Electrolytes
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- Key points
- Baby electrolytes suffer after recession, expected to slowly recover
- Sales and forecast of baby electrolytes
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- Figure 21: Sales and forecast of baby electrolytes, at current prices, 2007-17
Segment Performance – Baby Juice
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- Key points
- Baby juice on downward spiral, no end in sight
- Sales and forecast of baby juice
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- Figure 22: Sales and forecast of baby juice, at current prices, 2007-17
Retail Channels
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- Key points
- Other channels sales dominance grows as supermarkets lose sales
- Sales of baby food and drink, by channel
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- Figure 23: Total U.S. retail sales of baby food and drink, by channel, at current prices, 2010-12
Retail Channels – Supermarkets
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- Key points
- Supermarket sales of baby food and drink take 13% tumble since 2007
- Supermarket sales of baby food and drink
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- Figure 24: U.S. supermarket sales of baby food and drink, at current prices, 2007-12
Retail Channels – Drug Stores
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- Key points
- Drug store sales remain small fraction of total sales
- Drug store sales of baby food and drink
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- Figure 25: U.S. drug store sales of baby food and drink, at current prices, 2007-12
Retail Channels – Other
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- Key points
- Other channel finds success with competitive pricing
- Other channel sales of baby food and drink
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- Figure 26: U.S. sales of baby food and drink, through other retail channels, at current prices, 2007-12
Retail Channels – Natural Supermarkets
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- Key points
- Insights
- Sales of baby food in the natural channel
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- Figure 27: Natural supermarket sales of baby food, at current prices, 2010-12*
- Figure 28: Natural supermarket sales of baby food, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2010-12*
- Natural channel sales of baby foods by segment
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- Figure 29: Natural supermarket sales of baby food, by segment, 2011 and 2013*
- Natural channel sales of baby food by organic
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- Figure 30: Natural supermarket sales of baby food, by organic, 2011 and 2013*
Leading Companies
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- Key points
- Three brands dominate baby food and drink market
- Private label, other companies’ sales growing faster than leaders’
- MULO sales of baby food and drink
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- Figure 31: MULO sales of baby food and drink, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2012, 2013
Brand Share – Baby Formula
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- Key points
- Similac, Enfamil lead segment, but Gerber experiences strongest growth
- Private label not making much headway
- MULO sales of baby formula
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- Figure 32: MULO sales of baby formula, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2012 and 2013
Brand Share – Baby Food and Snacks
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- Key points
- Gerber dominates market, but shows little sign of growth in 2013
- Demand for organic, new products, savings drives other sales
- MULO sales of baby food and snacks
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- Figure 33: MULO sales of baby food and snacks, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2012 and 2013
Brand Share – Baby Electrolytes
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- Key points
- Pedialyte and private label share baby electrolyte market
- MULO sales of baby electrolytes
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- Figure 34: MULO sales of baby electrolytes, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2012, 2013
Brand Share – Baby Juice
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- Key points
- Gerber, other brands suffer as baby juice sales decline
- MULO sales of baby juice
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- Figure 35: MULO sales of baby juice, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2012 and 2013
Innovations and Innovators
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- Traditional baby food leads all subcategories in innovation
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- Figure 36: New baby food and drink product launches, by subcategory, 2007-13*
- Innovation in organic baby food is helping drive the market
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- Figure 37: New baby food and drink product launches, by organic and not organic, 2007-13*
- Figure 38: New baby food and drink product launches, by brand, 2007-13*
- New product claims reflect what parents say is important
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- Figure 39: Top 10 claims on new baby food and drink product launches, 2007-13*
Marketing Strategies
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- Overview of brand landscape
- Brand analysis: Gerber Good Start
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- Figure 40: Brand analysis of Gerber Good Start, 2013
- Online initiatives
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- Figure 41: Gerber Facebook Post, 2013
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- Figure 42: Gerber Website, 2013
- TV presence
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- Figure 43: Gerber Good Start TV ad, “Baby Einstein,” 2012
- Brand analysis: Gerber Graduates
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- Figure 44: Brand analysis of Gerber Graduates, 2013
- TV presence
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- Figure 45: Gerber Graduates TV ad, “Graduates Grabbers/Lil’ Entrees,” 2012
- Brand analysis: Earth’s Best Organic
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- Figure 46: Brand analysis of Earth’s Best Organics, 2013
- Online initiatives
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- Figure 47: Earth’s Best Organic Facebook Post, 2013
- TV presence
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- Figure 48: Earth’s Best organic TV ad, “Best Way to Grow,” 2012
- Brand analysis: Enfamil
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- Figure 49: Brand analysis of Enfamil, 2013
- Online initiatives
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- Figure 50: Enfamil Facebook Post, 2013
- Figure 51: Enfamil YouTube Video, 2013
- TV presence
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- Figure 52: Enfamil TV ad, “Peace of Mind,” 2012
Social Media – Baby Food and Drink
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- Key points
- Social media metrics
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- Figure 53: Key performance indicators, April 2013
- Market overview
- Brand usage and awareness
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- Figure 54: Usage and awareness of selected baby food and drink brands, February 2013
- Interaction with baby food and drink brands
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- Figure 55: Interaction with baby food and drink brands, February 2013
- Online conversations
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- Figure 56: Selected baby food and drink brands’ share of conversation, Jan. 17-April 16, 2013
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- Figure 57: Conversations on selected baby food and drink brands, by week, Jan. 17-April 16, 2013
- Where are people talking about baby food and drink brands?
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- Figure 58: Selected baby food and drink brands’ share of brand conversations, by page type, Jan. 17-April 16, 2013
- What are people talking about?
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- Figure 59: Types of conversations concerning selected baby food and drink brands, Jan. 17-April 16, 2013
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- Figure 60: Types of conversations concerning selected baby food and drink brands, by week, Jan. 17-April 16, 2013
- Figure 61: Types of conversations concerning selected baby food and drink brands, by site type, Jan. 17-April 16, 2013
- Analysis by brand
- Enfamil
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- Figure 62: Enfamil—Key social media indicators, April 15, 2013
- Key online campaigns
- What we think
- Gerber
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- Figure 63: Gerber—Key social media indicators, April 15, 2013
- Key online campaigns
- What we think
- Plum Organics
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- Figure 64: Plum Organics—Key social media indicators, April 15, 2013
- Key online campaigns
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- Figure 65: Word cloud of mentions of Plum Organic’s “The Full Effect” campaign, Jan. 17-April 21, 2013
- What we think
- Earth’s Best
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- Figure 66: Earth’s Best—Key social media indicators, April 15, 2013
- Key online campaigns
- What we think
- Ella’s Kitchen
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- Figure 67: Ella’s Kitchen—Key social media indicators, April 15, 2013
- Key online campaigns
- What we think
- Happy Baby
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- Figure 68: Happy Baby—Key social media indicators, April 15, 2013
- Key online campaigns
- What we think
Parents’ Feeding Behavior
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- Key points
- Parents more likely to buy formula and food than nurse and make food
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- Figure 69: Parents' behaviors toward feeding their child(ren), by age of child(ren), February 2013
- Employment status impacts how parents feed babies and toddlers
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- Figure 70: Parents' behaviors toward feeding their child(ren), by employment, February 2013
- First-time parents more likely to rely on store-bought baby/toddler food
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- Figure 71: Parents' behaviors toward feeding their child(ren), by parents with children, February 2013
Attitudes Comparing Homemade and Store-bought Food
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- Key points
- Homemade baby/toddler food more highly regarded than store-bought food
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- Figure 72: Attitudes toward baby/toddler food, February 2013
- Dads more likely than moms to favor store-bought baby/toddler food
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- Figure 73: Store-bought baby/toddler food, by gender, February 2013
- New parents more likely to think store-bought food is cheaper, less wasteful
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- Figure 74: Store-bought baby/toddler food, by parents with children, February 2013
Important Product Attributes
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- Key points
- Parents value price, all-natural ingredients, and convenience most
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- Figure 75: Important characteristics when purchasing baby food and drink, February 2013
- Many parents think nutritional attributes are important
- Parents using only store-bought food value nutrition, ingredients less
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- Figure 76: Any important characteristics when purchasing baby food and drink, by parents' behaviors toward feeding their child(ren), February 2013
Baby/Toddler Food and Drink Parent Behavior
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- Key points
- Word-of-mouth marketing plays role in baby/toddler food marketing
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- Figure 77: Behaviors toward baby/toddler food and drink, February 2013
- Labeling may be more effective in reaching parents aged 35+
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- Figure 78: Research behavior toward baby/toddler food and drink, by age, February 2013
- Parents aged 35+ more brand loyal, less likely to value shop
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- Figure 79: Purchase behavior toward baby/toddler food and drink, by age, February 2013
Parents’ Attitudes on Baby and Toddler Food
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- Key points
- Nutrition a concern for almost a quarter of parents
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- Figure 80: Attitudes toward baby food and drink nutritional attributes, February 2013
- Low-income parents more concerned about product safety
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- Figure 81: Attitudes toward baby food and drink nutritional attributes, by household income, February 2013
- Parents who use a mix of foods more likely to desire ethnic food options
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- Figure 82: Attitudes toward baby food and drink nutritional attributes, by feeding type, February 2013
Sources of Nutritional Information
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- Key points
- Parents most likely to look online for baby food and drink products
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- Figure 83: Attitudes toward nutritional information, February 2013
- Men and women favor different sources for baby food information
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- Figure 84: Attitudes toward nutritional information, by gender, February 2013
- Household income level plays a role in determining information sources
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- Figure 85: Attitudes toward nutritional information, by household income, February 2013
Race and Hispanic Origin
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- Key points
- Non-white parents more likely to use formula, make baby food
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- Figure 86: Parents’ behavior toward feeding their child(ren), by race, February 2013
- Figure 87: Parents’ behavior toward feeding their child(ren) drinks, by race, February 2013
- Low/no sugar, recognizable brand trump convenience for other races
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- Figure 88: Any important characteristics when purchasing baby food and drink, by race, February 2013
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- Figure 89: Attitudes toward nutritional information, by race, February 2013
IRI/Builders – Key Household Purchase Measures
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- Overview of baby food
- Baby food/snacks
- Consumer insights on key purchase measures—baby food/snacks
- Brand map
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- Figure 90: Brand map, selected brands of baby food/snacks, by household penetration, 2012*
- Brand leader characteristics
- Key purchase measures
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- Figure 91: Key purchase measures for the top brands of baby food/snacks, by household penetration, 2012*
Appendix – Food and Drink Market Drivers
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- Consumer confidence
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- Figure 92: University of Michigan’s index of consumer sentiment (ICS), 2007-13
- Unemployment
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- Figure 93: U.S. unemployment rate, by month, 2002-13
- Figure 94: U.S. Unemployment and underemployment rates, 2007-13
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- Figure 95: Number of employed civilians in U.S., in thousands, 2007-13
- Food cost pressures
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- Figure 96: Changes in USDA Food Price Indexes, 2011 through 2013, March 25, 2013
- Obesity
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- Figure 97: U.S. Obesity, by age group, 2008 and 2012
- Childhood and teen obesity—highest in decades
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- Figure 98: Prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents aged 2-19, 1971-2010
- Racial, ethnic population growth
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- Figure 99: Population by race and Hispanic origin, 2008, 2013, and 2018
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- Figure 100: Households with children, by race and Hispanic origin of householder, 2012
- Shifting U.S. demographics
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- Figure 101: Population, by age, 2008-18
- Figure 102: Households, by presence of own children, 2002-12
Appendix – Other Useful Consumer Tables
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- Figure 103: Parents' behaviors toward feeding their child(ren), by gender, February 2013
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- Figure 104: Parents' behaviors toward feeding their child(ren), by household income, February 2013
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- Figure 105: Parents' behaviors toward feeding their child(ren), by parents with children, February 2013
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- Figure 106: Homemade baby/toddler food, by gender, February 2013
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- Figure 107: Homemade baby/toddler food, by household income, February 2013
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- Figure 108: Homemade baby/toddler food, by employment, February 2013
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- Figure 109: Homemade baby/toddler food, by region, February 2013
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- Figure 110: Homemade baby/toddler food, by parents' behaviors toward feeding their child(ren), February 2013
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- Figure 111: Store-bought baby/toddler food, by gender, February 2013
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- Figure 112: Store-bought baby/toddler food, by region, February 2013
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- Figure 113: Store-bought baby/toddler food, by parents' behaviors toward feeding their child(ren), February 2013
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- Figure 114: They are about the same, by parents' behaviors toward feeding their child(ren), February 2013
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- Figure 115: Attitudes toward nutritional information, by presence of children in household, February 2013
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- Figure 116: Attitudes toward nutritional information, by parents' behaviors toward feeding their child(ren), February 2013
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- Figure 117: Usage of baby drink and food in the past 12 months, by attitudes toward nutritional information, February 2013
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- Figure 118: Usage of baby drink and food in the past 12 months, by attitudes toward nutritional information, February 2013
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- Figure 119: Usage of baby drink and food in the past 12 months, by attitudes toward nutritional information, February 2013
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- Figure 120: Usage of baby drink and food in the past 12 months, by behaviors toward baby/toddler food and drink, February 2013
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- Figure 121: Usage of baby drink and food in the past 12 months, by behaviors toward baby/toddler food and drink, February 2013
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- Figure 122: Attitudes toward baby food and drink nutritional attributes, by generation, February 2013
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Appendix – Social Media – Baby Food and Drink
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- Brand usage and awareness
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- Figure 123: Brand usage or awareness, February 2013
- Figure 124: Enfamil usage or awareness, by demographics, February 2013
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- Figure 125: Earth’s best usage or awareness, by demographics, February 2013
- Figure 126: Plum organics usage or awareness, by demographics, February 2013
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- Figure 127: Ella’s kitchen usage or awareness, by demographics, February 2013
- Figure 128: Happy Baby usage or awareness, by demographics, February 2013
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- Figure 129: Gerber usage or awareness, by demographics, February 2013
- Activities done
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- Figure 130: Activities done, February 2013
- Figure 131: Enfamil—Activities done, by demographics, February 2013
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- Figure 132: Earth’s Best—Activities done, by demographics, February 2013
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- Figure 133: Gerber—Activities done, by demographics, February 2013
- Online conversations
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- Figure 134: Selected baby food and drink brands’ share of conversation, Jan. 17-April 16, 2013
- Figure 135: Conversations on selected baby food and drink brands, by day, Jan. 17-April 16, 2013
- Figure 136: Selected baby food and drink brands’ share of brand conversations, by page type, Jan. 17-April 16, 2013
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- Figure 137: Types of conversations concerning selected baby food and drink brands, Jan. 17-April 16, 2013
- Figure 138: Types of conversations concerning selected baby food and drink brands, by day, Jan. 17-April 16, 2013
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- Figure 139: Types of conversations concerning selected baby food and drink brands, by site type, Jan. 17-April 16, 2013
Appendix – SymphonyIRI Builders Panel Data Definitions
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- SymphonyIRI Consumer Network Metrics
Appendix – Trade Associations
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