This trend may not be a surprise, but sustainable food isn’t as straightforward as it sounds as it means different things to different people.
In fact, the second edition of our sustainable food barometer, which is based on over 7,000 interviews, identified three distinct personas in terms of the way people feel about sustainable food; committed, undecided and distant.
Despite their differences, the three groups had a few things in common; one was that all these groups still eat meat regularly. This belief that sustainable equals being meat free is far from the truth. Reducing consumption of animal products is more common, likely and sustainable than widespread veganism. Our food tracker report revealed that 30% of consumers self-identify as flexitarian whilst just 3% identify as vegan.
This research also showed that the factors that people feel makes something sustainable vary hugely but the most common included being made with fresh ingredients, having clear labeling or certification, containing seasonal products, being fair trade and respecting animal welfare.
Another shared sentiment between the three personas identified in the sustainable food barometer was that access to recipe ideas and nutritional information would enable more people to follow a more sustainable diet.
Furthermore, this trend of eating sustainable is fundamentally linked with the next trend around health as our food tracker survey results show that the health benefits are the main motivation for eating sustainably for well over 50% of respondents.
