Tracking Trends: Should You Bother?
If you are in the CPG field, you already know that people’s attitudes, behavior, and routines surrounding food have been significantly influenced by COVID-19. We have seen pantry stocking, more cooking at home, and an increase in online grocery shopping. We have also seen an increase in people seeking comfort from their food.
You will not be surprised then, to learn that last month’s 2020 State of Snacking Report from Mondelez International shows that snacking has increased worldwide. The report found that 88% of global adults are snacking more or the same now, compared to before the pandemic. Claiming that snacking has improved people’s feelings of well-being—at least for the immediate time—the majority of respondents said that during the pandemic snacks have:
Helped them get through the day
Helped them get through difficult situations
Served as a lifeline
Helped people take their minds off the issues of the day
Served as a good way to keep their children entertained
But that is only one view of the story.
Food Navigator reports that Innova Study Insights’ research saw 60% of consumers specifically looking for foods with immunity-boosting properties, and 54% actively educating themselves on foods’ ingredients pertaining to immunity-boosting qualities. They consider nutritional needs, fit with their lifestyle (including ethics), and their body composition when choosing foods. According to Innova, consumers are seeking to sustain comfort, and often in the way of botanicals, adaptogens, and supplements that will reduce stress and promote better sleep.
Here’s another spin on the topic: Michael Moss writes in a New York Times article, “the pandemic revealed that sheltering in our homes—where many of us will continue to work—turns our kitchens into one huge vending machine,” implying more of a grazing habit, which is likely neither healthy nor mindful.
And the most perplexing yet, Harvard Business Review reports a mix of trends: people are reaching for old, familiar food brands, while others are going the healthier route. They contend “simultaneous surges in sales of both Big Macs and kale salads are logical expressions of two key emotions that consumers are experiencing right now: disgust and fear.”
You get the idea: there are a million and one things happening in the area of snacking right now, and that’s only one segment of the food world.
If your role is to create and execute a marketing plan for a healthy food brand, these trend reports might seem like a quagmire. It is important for you to remember that while these reports are all true, none is the end-all and be-all overview. Each one represents a snapshot in time. That is true with any survey of consumer habits.
You can spend all day evaluating surveys, trends, and data in an effort to place your brand at the exact right place in the market at the exact right moment, but it’s impossible hit that moving target—you are likely to miss it by a moment or unwittingly outsmart your own target consumer.
The safest bet for strong and effective marketing when consumer behavior is evolving is to remain flexible and ready to react. Make sure your marketing—and the partners you work with—are nimble, smart and ready to help you navigate these unknown waters. Now, take a moment for a snack.