| Posted in Articles | Posted on
CHICAGO, Nov. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study by Chicago marketing firm Colman Brohan Davis finds consumers are making food purchase decisions based on healthy ingredient and nutrition considerations. They routinely seek out information online to help in their decision-making. Very few are influenced solely by brand name. That's good news for family health, notes Colman Brohan Davis CEO Lori Colman.
The Colman Brohan Davis 2009 Consumers Food Shopping Survey(TM) canvassed over 200 adults, ages 20 plus. They were asked to rank 12 decision factors when purchasing food. The No. 1 and No. 2 most important factors were taste and cost. "That's an expected outcome," says Colman. "We look more at data around ingredients, nutrition and sustainability. This is the second year in a row brand name was in dead last place as a decision factor."
Colman delivered the research findings today at the Supply Side West Conference in Las Vegas, the world's largest for food ingredients companies.
What matters most when making food purchases
1. Taste__ 7. Sustainability
2. Cost__ 8. Shelf life
3. Ingredients__ 9. Organic
4. Nutrition labels__ 10. Packaging
5. Fat content__ 11. Fair trade
6. Locally grown__ 12. Brand name
Women and men study nutrition labels
Consumers study nutrition labels closely. Virtually 100 percent of respondents said they read nutrition labels "always" or "sometimes." When asked, "Do ingredients influence your purchase?" over 80 percent said "yes." In order of priority, women are "always" interested in: fat, calories, sugar, fiber and protein. Men are "always" interested in: fat, calories, sugar, protein and preservatives.
Consumers seek information online
The survey found over 75 percent of respondents also get nutritional information from a wide range of online sites: government (FDA, EPA), farm markets, food manufacturers, food stores, media, restaurants, book publishers, weight management groups, organizations and associations. Search engines, Wikipedia and blogs were also mentioned.
"Consumers are steadily marching toward healthier eating," observes Colman. "They are careful about spending but want to make better choices. And men are evolving into conscientious shoppers. This is good news for societal and personal health."
