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The study, called Food 2020: The Consumer as CEO, examined the perceptions, expectations and considerations about food among 1,000 consumers in China, the US, the UK, Germany and Argentina, and sought to provide an outlook on the food industry by the year 2020.
Respondents in China said they want more involvement in deciding who should be responsible for food safety and quality; the use of ingredients and additives; the penalties for compromising food safety and nutritional content of the food they eat. All of these issues were ranked higher by consumers than making food easier to prepare or shop for and higher also than the importance that global food company CEOs place on them.
“Food companies often ask consumers about food preparation and convenience, but the areas where consumers want more control are the ones where food companies are least likely to seek consumer input,” said Chris Liu, partner and chief business officer, Ketchum Greater China. “In a culture where food is intrinsically linked to health, and where the food industry has generated many high profile health scares, these survey results indicate that food companies are asking the wrong questions in China.”
The survey findings also reveal that consumers expect food companies to be responsible for their health and well-being and that this expectation will continue into the year 2020. Consumers expect the way they shop for and choose foods to be different by this time considering safety, quality, source and nutritional value more than today. Food companies need to be aware of these expectations as they focus on product development in the future.
Chinese people have always taken a holistic look at food, considering more elements than just taste. But the survey results show that consumers are now considering even more factors in decision making over food selection. Where previously the food equation had been taste plus quality plus health benefits, by 2020 it will be taste plus quality plus health benefits plus nutritional value plus safety plus ingredients.
- In China, 78% of consumers said health benefits was the most important consideration when choosing foods. Chinese people see food as the key to good health whilst consumers in other markets see food primarily as enjoyment and make food selections based on taste as the most important factor.
- After cost, knowing what is truly healthy, taste, family preference and availability are key barriers to healthier eating.
- Consumers want good taste, but they also want to know more about their food.
- 79% of Chinese hold the food industry accountable for their health and well-being and 72% want a greater say in who should be responsible for food safety.
- If Chinese consumers were given the opportunity to be the CEO of a global food company, 86% would place making foods safer as their top priority followed by improving human nutrition (76%).
- Consumers think that food companies should reduce the risk of major health issues and diseases.
- Six in ten Chinese consumers expect how they choose and shop for food and the food they eat to be different by 2020.