Meeting Fruit and Vegetable Targets

This publication has been discontinued on July 19, 2011.

Introduction

Abstract

Overview

Introduction

Encouraging consumers to increase their intake of fruit and vegetables is a worldwide issue. The benefits of meeting fruit and vegetable targets, which typically vary on a national basis, are becoming more apparent to nutrition conscious shoppers who are adjusting their eating habits accordingly. This report identifies the implications for both produce and packaged goods' players.

Scope

• Detailed insights and analysis documenting the drivers and inhibitors of fruit and vegetable consumption
• Country level data covering Europe, the US, Australia and New Zealand. This is segmented by fresh, frozen and canned formats
• Analysis documenting the relative importance consumers place on fruit and vegetable consumption and how this varies by socio-demographics
• Strategic conclusions combined with actionable recommendations for all industry players

Highlights

49% of European and US consumers believe that eating fresh food and drinks is a ' very important' dietary approach. This ranges from a high of 51% in the UK to a low of 36% in Sweden. Datamonitor research and other important studies indicate that a high importance is being placed on consuming fresh products as part of a broader emphasis on health

In an ideal world, people would embrace a balanced diet with adequate quantities of fruit and vegetables. Despite a heightened focus and high general focus being placed on fruit and vegetable consumption, many consumers' diets are still deficient of recommended intake. This creates a strong market opportunity for functional/ enhanced products

The growth of ' superfruits' has helped to bring the consumption of fruits and vegetables back into shoppers' consciousness. That said, there is a risk that the growth of such products has undermined the appeal of more established/standard fruit and vegetables, especially in countries where the superfruit phenomenon has been more established

Reasons to Purchase

• Obtain a detailed understanding of consumer attitudes and behaviors towards increasing fruit and vegetable consumption
• Find inspiration for innovative formulations and product positioning which takes advantage of consumers' evolving preferences
• Access a blend of quantitative and qualitative data illustrating consumer attitudes, actual consumption and best-practice marketing across the globe

Table of Contents

• Overview
  • Catalyst
  • Summary
• Table of Contents
• Table of figures
• Table of tables
• THE FUTURE DECODED
  • INTRODUCTION: Fruit and vegetable consumption worldwide ischanging for many reasons
  • TREND: Consumers are making greater efforts to eat morefresh food and meet their fruit and vegetable targets
    • Surveys show that a high importance is being placed onconsuming fresh products as part of a broader emphasis on health
    • The volume and value of fruit and vegetable consumption isincreasing in many countries across Europe, North America and Asia
    • Canned and frozen fruit and vegetables are also showingsigns of growth
    • Fruit-based beverages are proving a popular choice forconsumers, though this is less true of vegetable juices
    • Despite a heightened focus and high general focus beingplaced on fruit and vegetable consumption, many consumers' diets are stilldeficient of recommended intake
    • Studies also show that children lack micro nutrients fromfruit and vegetables
    • Key take outs and implications: consumers are ultimatelyreceptive to fruit and vegetable quotas, but need additional benefits tofurther increase consumption
  • INSIGHT: Increasing information from government and healthassociation sources is driving fruit and vegetable consumption
    • Government-driven initiatives are focusing on providing anachievable quota to encourage consumption
    • The mass media have an increasing tendency to reportpotential health benefits of fruits and vegetables
    • The internet is a rapidly-expanding source of nutritionalinformation
    • Health centers and GPs are regarded by consumers as atrustworthy source of advice about healthy consumption
    • Scientific research into new health benefits of fruit andvegetables is attractive to all key demographics
    • Key take outs and implications: consumers receiveinformation from a plethora of sources, but they are increasingly lookingfor trustworthy messages surrounding health
  • INSIGHT: Rising vegetarianism makes fresh fruit andvegetables an increasingly large factor in contemporary diets
    • The percentage of population of vegetarians is significantin all countries due to both health and ethical factors
    • Key take outs and implications: vegetarians are anextremely important consumer group for fruit and vegetable retailers
  • INSIGHT: Consumers have more choice in the form of fruitand vegetable consumption, but less choice in where they are purchased
    • More products with marked ' target' portions are available,especially in the juice and smoothie markets
    • The idea of ' daily dosing' is beginning to gain appeal
    • ' Superfruits' are a phenomenon that have excited consumers
    • ' Food deserts' are excluding certain demographics fromessential foods
    • Barriers to entry are forcing smaller retailers to concedemarket share to supermarkets
    • Key take outs and implications: consumers are looking forconvenient and easy ways to boost their consumption on a daily basis
  • INSIGHT: Socio-demographic variances in fruit &vegetable consumption
    • Women place more importance on the consumption of fruitand vegetables than men and are more likely to make efforts to adjusttheir habits accordingly
    • The evidence surrounding the impact of age on fruit andvegetable consumption and attitudes is more variable
    • Social class/income and education also affects fruit andvegetable attitudes and behavior
    • The influence of parents is critical in the long-termfruit and vegetable consumption habits of their children
    • Key take outs and implications: there areclearly-identifiable trends when assessing fruit and vegetable consumptionacross a number of key demographics
  • INSIGHT: False assumptions about the nutritional value offoods are preventing consumers from fulfilling fruit and vegetable quotas
    • US consumers believe that frozen vegetables are not asnutritious as fresh ones
    • Children are assuming that the expressions ' diet' and' fat-free' are synonymous with high nutritional value
    • Consumers are currently overly optimistic about thenutritional value of superfoods
    • Consumers suffer from an overall ' optimistic bias' regarding their own diets
    • Key take outs and implications: consumers do not fullyunderstand all aspects of consumption and personal health
• ACTION POINTS
  • ACTION: Look for opportunities to develop ' daily dosing' products that make consuming these ingredients easier
    • Look for opportunities to add fruit or vegetable contentto existing and newly developed brands
  • ACTION: Seek to dispel myths about the relative healthbenefits of products
    • Dispelling myths about frozen, packaged fruit andvegetables remains an ongoing necessity
    • Emphasize that convenience food and beverage solutions canalso be nutritious
    • Encourage consumers to substitute supplement usage for amore natural, safer and sensual alternative
  • ACTION: Investigate ways to provide access to fruit andvegetable for consumers in ' food deserts'
    • Developing better packaging techniques such as ' MAP' increase shelf life and make stocking fruit and vegetables more appealingto small retailers
    • Increasing the scope of home delivery will help make fruitand vegetables more accessible to more people
• APPENDIX
  • Definitions
  • Methodology
  • Further reading and references
    • Industry and news sources
    • Datamonitor reports
    • Academic sources
  • Ask the analyst
  • Datamonitor consulting
  • Disclaimer
• List of Tables
  • Table 1: Consumer responses to various suggestions onhow to improve a healthy diet, ranked by average
  • Table 2: Market volume of fresh fruit (kg millions), bycountry, 2002-2012
  • Table 3: Market value of fresh fruit (US $ millions), bycountry, 2002-2012
  • Table 4: Market volume of fresh vegetables (kgmillions), by country, 2002-2012
  • Table 5: Market value of fresh vegetables (US $millions), by country, 2002-2012
  • Table 6: Market value of frozen fruit and vegetables (US$ millions), by country 2002-2012
  • Table 7: Market value of canned fruit and vegetables (US$ millions), by country 2002-2012
  • Table 8: Market value of fruit juices and smoothies (US$ millions), by country, 2002-2012
  • Table 9: Market value of vegetable juice (US $millions), by country, 2002-2012
  • Table 10: National initiatives to outline fruit andvegetable consumption by quotas, by country
  • Table 11: Vegetarian inhabitants (million), by country
  • Table 12: List of definitions of terms used in thisreport
• List of Figures
  • Figure 1: There are key drivers and inhibitors affectingfruit and vegetable consumption
  • Figure 2: More fresh content is being incorporated intodiets while processed options are being rejected in Europe and the US
  • Figure 3: Consuming fresh food and drink ranks highlyamong Americans as a contributing factor towards maintaining a healthydiet
  • Figure 4: The internet offers a wealth of information onfruit and vegetables, from nutritional facts to recipes
  • Figure 5: Consumers are actively seeking products thatare both convenient AND healthy
  • Figure 6: Superfruits are helping to drive productintroductions in the packaged food and beverage market
  • Figure 7: Consuming fresh food and drink ranks highlyamong Americans as a contributing factor towards maintaining a healthydiet
  • Figure 8: Supermarket ranges incorporating fruits andvegetables are increasing in popularity
  • Figure 9: Socio-demographic differences are apparent inthose respondents who thought that consumption of fresh food and drink was"very important" in contributing towards a healthy diet
  • Figure 10: Convenient food that advertises healthbenefits is especially attractive to consumers
  • Figure 11: The concept of ' Steamfresh' has made frozenvegetables a more attractive proposition
  • Figure 12: Fast food which contains significant healthbenefits is becoming more prevalent
  • Figure 13: MAP, SmartFresh and the Newell RubbermaidProduce Saver are all effective in keeping fruit and vegetable producefresh
  • Figure 14: Home delivery websites allow consumers tohave a convenient source of fresh fruit and vegetables

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