Multiple third of shoppers surveyed mentioned that climate-friendliness has an impression on meals buying selections, mentioned Wendy Reinhard Kapsack, president and CEO of the Worldwide Meals Info Council (IFIC).
Kapsack gave an summary of probably the most lately accomplished IFIC Meals & Well being Survey whereas talking on Might 8 on the 2024 Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri.
One of many questions on the survey was: “Does the local weather friendliness of a meals/beverage product have an effect in your buying selections, and if that’s the case, do you care about it extra for sure sorts of meals/drinks … or do you take into account it the identical manner for every kind of meals/drinks?”
Amongst these to reply, 35% mentioned climate-friendliness did have an effect on meals buying selections. About 15% mentioned climate-friendliness mattered extra on sure meals, whereas 20% mentioned they put equal worth on it for all meals classes.
Of the survey respondents, one other 23% mentioned it had little impression on meals buying selections, whereas one other 20% mentioned it had no impression. The survey additionally revealed that climate-friendliness was one thing they hadn’t ever considered when shopping for meals, whereas the remaining 7% didn’t even know what climate-friendliness meant.
Of those that mentioned climate-friendly meals was necessary, 62% mentioned it mattered when buying meat and poultry, making up the very best proportion of meals classes. Subsequent got here recent fruit and greens at 55%, dairy at 50%, seafood at 45% and grains at 39%.
Kapsack mentioned of those that mentioned they wished their meals to be climate-friendly, it was the Millennials to which it mattered probably the most, with 46% in that age group saying so. Technology Z accounted for one more 39% of these to reply that manner, adopted by Technology X at 38%. It mattered the least for Child Boomers, making up 22% of these solutions.
Different demographic info confirmed that these who suppose climate-friendly meals is necessary have youngsters, at the very least one faculty diploma and have a family revenue of greater than $75,000 per 12 months.
Kapsack mentioned even supposing those that valued climate-friendliness to be within the minority, it isn’t one thing the agrifood trade ought to dismiss, particularly since some who place worth on it may be these with “loud voices.”
As an entire, Kapsack mentioned the agrifood trade is “very targeted” on local weather, and there’s a particular curiosity to have information to again up the claims of climate-friendliness.
