The new consumer has changed his diet because he now knows how it can affect his life, both for the better and for the worse. This has to affect the choices he makes in front of the shelf.
The COVID19 was a big step in making people realise how important it is to keep the body healthy and well fed in order to be ready for anything.
With this increased awareness came the worry that the foods we choose should show what they are made of and what they can do. More and more people are paying attention to how good the food is and where it comes from. In the past, the most important thing was that it tasted good and was easy to eat.
There is a return to the basics and a focus on health, and FMCG Gurus’ study shows that we tend to avoid products that are too flashy, have ingredients we don’t know what they are, or have labels that are hard to read. So it’s clear that ultra-processed products made to look like something they’re not are not the trend they want us to think they are.
Dairy products will have to show that they live up to these expectations and defend themselves against the many insults and slanders that are likely paid for by the products that try to replace them by claiming to be natural but are actually light years away from nature.
We also care about the health of the environment and the well-being of animals. For example, this week we saw how TGT Group in Spain and Argentina got the seal that proves the milk they process comes from farms that meet the certification’s requirements for animal welfare.
Healthy food doesn’t taste bad.
Taste is something that discerning consumers are not willing to give up on, no matter how concerned they are about health and sustainability. This is forcing brands to use high-quality ingredients.
We, as consumers, want to live in a healthy way, take care of the environment, and pay attention to the well-being of animals. The industry needs to recognise and address this aspiration, making it clear that they produce under these principles and working to make these products accessible and satisfying to the senses of smell, texture, and taste.
These wants have even turned into demands. The process of inflation that most of the world is going through has also made us less willing to pay too much, which has put a stop to lifelong brand loyalty.
As a result, there are a lot of “new dairy products” that aren’t milk, yoghurt, cheese, or butter, but you have to look closely because the packaging makes it look like they are. They look like them but are not the same. They don’t say they are either of those things, but they look the same. They cost less and have more nutrients than other foods.
The cost of making milk is going up, and it’s getting harder and harder to do. There are things that are worse than pandemics, wars, bad weather, and bad environmental policies. Milk can be the food you can eat without feeling bad about it because it is healthy and because the way it is made cares more and more about the environment and animal welfare.
Milk is also a very important part of sports nutrition. Everyone knows now that exercise is good not only for our bodies but also for our health. Dairy goes with this new rictus because it gives you nutrition and keeps you hydrated.
People have learned that they can avoid a lot of health problems by watching what they eat. They have figured out that the dairy shelf is better than the pharmacy counter. This makes it hard for the industry to make fun, aspirational products that fit with a fun, active lifestyle.
Even though the amount of milk on the market has gone down over the past 20 years, it is still the most popular dairy product.
For 40% of consumers, the fact that dairy products are known for having nutrient-rich ingredients is a big reason why they buy them. People no longer want what they eat to just taste good; they want it to do something for them as well. The popularity of dairy shows that dairy products are seen as an important part of a well-balanced, rich, and healthy diet.
The same study I talked about above about what people want in 2022 also says that the most popular nutritional tables are those with vitamins (64%), calcium (58%) and protein (58%) from dairy. This shows how important it is for brands to make it clear what each product does and how it can be used for more than one thing.
