Despite price having a considerable effect when grocery shoppers are choosing what to put into their basket, 55 percent of consumers are willing to pay a premium for food that contributes to their health and wellness, according to an annual report on fresh food by Deloitte.
"Despite inflation and rising food costs, consumers are willing to pay for fresh food that will positively impact their health and wellness. Amid increasing competition, fresh food producers and retailers have the opportunity to introduce consumers to healthy choices and use food as medicine,” said Daniel Edsall, principal at Deloitte Consulting LLP, in a statement. “Grocers who can close the information gap between fresh food and its health outcomes can be better positioned to win over consumers—and compete on aspects other than price."
When purchasing fresh food, 84 percent of consumers consider health and wellness, and 80 percent believe fresh is healthier than packaged or processed foods that are marketed as being healthy. Additional insights include:
• About 79 percent believe the right food can boost mental or physical performance.
• About half buy fresh to feel good, 45 percent for overall energy, and 43 percent for weight management or other therapeutic reasons.
• Three-quarters actively seek more personalized nutrition, up 13 percent from last year.
The report indicates that consumers are wanting to use food as medicine; opportunity arises because food education is still an issue. For example, 62 percent of consumers have experienced conflicting information and confusion about the health properties of specific foods, and 40 percent don’t understand which fresh foods can act like medicine.
"Using food as medicine is one of the ways consumers can be empowered to take control of their health. However, not every household has equal access to or can afford to pay higher prices for fresh, healthy foods which is a factor that contributes to health inequities and poorer health outcomes,” said Jay Bhatt, D.O., MPH, MPA, and executive director of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions and the Deloitte Health Equity Institute, in a statement.
“We recognize that grocers and other stakeholders have an important role to play in supporting the health and wellness of their communities by helping to ensure their customers benefit from the connection between healthy foods and good health."
Related: Bristol Farms Offers Vertically Farmed Produce; Shoppers Opt for Grocery Pickup Due to Lower Fees, Wait Time