IFIC Spotlight Survey: Consumer Perspectives On Regenerative Agriculture

Highlights The ties among climate change, environmental sustainability, and our food choices are becoming increasingly apparent—and for many, the through-line that connects these concepts is clear. IFIC’s 2021 Food and Health Survey found that 42% of Americans believed that their individual food and beverage choices can have a moderate or significant impact on the environment. Indeed, farming approaches that aim to mitigate the environmental strain of food production are on the rise. Regenerative agriculture practices, which seek to prioritize soil health as part of crop production, have been used for thousands of years and are currently experiencing a revival as more attention is paid to human society’s impact on the planet. Yet despite its resurgence, less has been known about how familiar the American public is with the concept of regenerative agriculture and its influence on our food and beverage purchases. To fill the gap in consumer perspectives, a recent IFIC survey aimed to assess public perceptions of regenerative agriculture practices. Key Findings When asked about which agricultural and consumption practices have the most beneficial impact on human health, the most common survey response was choosing foods and beverages made without the use of pesticides (45% of respondents included in their top-two choices). In addition, one in five (20%) said choosing products made with regenerative agriculture was in their top-two most beneficial agricultural practices for human health, in line with the number who opted for choosing foods labeled as “organic” (20%) and slightly below those who considered choosing “non-GMO” products to be most beneficial (25%). Methodology Survey results were derived from online interviews of 1,000 adults conducted from December 2nd to December 6th, 2021, by Lincoln Park Strategies. They were weighted to ensure proportional representation of the U.S. population, with a margin of error of ±3.1 points at the 95% […]

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IFIC Spotlight Survey: Perceptions On Processed: Consumer Sentiment & Purchasing Habits In 2020

Key Highlights: It turns out that “processed” is making an impact on Americans’ thought process, particularly when it comes to their food choices. In fact, our 2020 Food and Health Survey found that nearly half (49%) say that whether a product is considered to be processed has an impact on their food and beverage purchasing decisions. Additionally, over two in 5 (43%) say that whether a food is processed has more of an impact on their food and beverage purchases now, compared to ten years ago. But why exactly are Americans tuned into processed foods, and what are possible reasons for their growing influence in decision making? Our survey, “Perceptions on Processed: Consumer Sentiment and Purchasing Habits in 2020”, explores Americans’ beliefs, perceptions and purchasing behaviors towards processed foods. Methodology One thousand interviews were conducted among adults ages 18+ from September 10 to September 12, 2020 and were weighted to ensure proportional results. They were weighted to ensure proportional representation of the U.S. population, with a margin of error of ±3.1 points at the 95% confidence level.

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2022 IFIC Food & Health Survey Spotlight: Generation Z

Don’t let their age fool you—at 18 to 24 years old, Gen Z might be the youngest generation of adults, but their perspectives on food are loud and clear. IFIC’s 17th annual 2022 Food and Health Survey offers some especially compelling findings about young Americans’ perceptions and behaviors around food and food-related purchasing decisions, with valuable insights on how Gen Z views health and nutrition. Perceptions on Health Somewhat unsurprisingly for the youngest adult generation, most Gen Zers describe their own health as “excellent” or “very good,” with 59% saying so. Their healthy self-perception supports Gen Zers’ definition of healthy food: when asked to select the top attributes that define a healthy food, the most popular definitions among Gen Z included food that was a “good source of nutrients” (35%), food that was “fresh” (34%), and food that contained fruits or vegetables (30%). When asked about their most sought-after health benefits, it’s evident that Gen Z prioritizes bolstering both their physical and mental health; the top benefits they seek out from foods, beverages, and nutrients were having more energy or less fatigue (with 38% saying this), improved sleep (35%), emotional or mental health (33%), and digestive or gut health (29%). Seeking out emotional and mental health benefits could be, in part, due to Gen Zers’ self-reported levels of stress. When asked about their stress levels over the past six months, 73% said they felt “very” or “somewhat” stressed, with one-third (33%) saying they were “very” stressed. Among those who sought to improve their nutrition or diet to manage or reduce their stress, over two in five respondents specifically cited practicing mindful or intuitive eating to accomplish stress management; they were also more likely than Gen Xers to say so (41%, versus 11% of Gen Xers). At the same time, Gen […]

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2022 IFIC Food & Health Survey: Spotlight On Snacking

Whether it’s salty or sweet—or, for many, a mix of both!—Americans are no strangers to snacks. But what exactly are Americans’ preferences when it comes to the kinds of snacks they eat, and why do they snack in the first place? IFIC’s 17th annual 2022 Food and Health Survey included questions exploring Americans’ behaviors and perceptions surrounding snacking. Frequency of Snacking If you find yourself reaching for a snack throughout the day, you’re not alone. In fact, nearly three in four survey respondents (73%) reported snacking at least once a day. Specifically, 34% reported snacking once a day, while 25% reported snacking twice a day and 14% said they snack three or more times a day. It’s worth noting that snacking frequency has increased substantially since last year. When looking at past Food and Health Surveys, frequency of snacking was fairly steady: 58% reported snacking at least once a day or more in the 2021 Survey, 59% said the same in the 2020 Survey, and 57% said the same in the 2019 Survey. What might account for this year’s jump to 73%? Stress may have played a role. This year’s survey found that 56% of Americans reported being “very” or “somewhat” stressed in the last six months. Those who reported being “very” stressed in the past six months were more likely to say they snacked at least once a day (81% versus 72% of those who were somewhat stressed and 65% of those who were not stressed). The influence of stress on eating-related decisions is notable. Results from the American Psychological Association’s Stress in America 2022: Concerned for the Future, Beset by Inflation survey found that 76% of adults reported that facets of their lives were negatively impacted when stressed, with eating habits being among the top aspects that were impacted. In […]

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IFIC Spotlight Survey: Innovations in Alternative Proteins: Understanding the Viewpoints and Purchasing Behaviors of U.S. Meat Eaters

When we hear the phrase “alternative protein” in food-related news, we may think about the plant-based products that have grown in popularity over the past few years. And while plant-based burgers and nuggets have already piqued the curiosity of Americans, even more new and innovative proteins have recently hit the market—one of the most notable being cell-cultured meat. But what exactly do Americans think about these emerging alternative proteins? Additionally, what interests or causes hesitation among Americans when it comes to these products? A new IFIC survey aimed to find out. Highlights Key Findings Among consumers who have consumed an alternative protein before, plant-based beef products are the most commonly tried. Of the 57% who have tried an alternative protein, the most common alternative proteins ever tried are plant-based ground beef (31%) and plant-based beef alternative (23%), followed by plant-based sausage (22%) and plant-based chicken alternative (22%). When exploring demographic comparisons, those ages 18–34 and those with college degrees were more likely to say they have tried various alternative proteins, compared with their respective counterparts. Curiosity is the most common reason for trying alternative proteins. The top-ranked reasons for trying an alternative protein for the first time were being curious about it (50%), believing it’s a healthier alternative (40%), and a recommendation from a friend or family member (30%). However, while curiosity and perceptions of healthfulness motivate consumers to try an alternative protein for the first time, this experience doesn’t necessarily lead to repeated consumption—22% of those who’ve tried an alternative protein before shared that they did not consume the product again after trying it, with the most common reason cited being a lack in similarity in taste to conventional animal meat (51% saying so). Upon being provided definitions of various alternative proteins, consumers were most interested in trying cell-cultured […]

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What To Do About Consumers’ Waning Confidence in the Safety of the Food Supply

The Struggle Is Real  With almost two decades of consumer insights stemming from the annual IFIC Food & Health Survey, I can’t stop thinking about consumers’ confidence (or lack thereof) in the safety of the food system. The chart below captures consumer responses from 2023 to 2012 when 78% of consumers said they were “somewhat/very confident in the safety of the U.S. food supply.” Fast forward to 2023, and we see that only 70% of consumers confess they are somewhat/very confident in the safety of the U.S. food supply. My biggest concern is that, in the past year, we have observed a significant drop in those that report they are very confident.       Building Back Confidence  Like many of my dedicated food safety colleagues, I am not ready to accept 70% confidence and ignore the 30% that are “unsure” (19%) or the 11% that are “not/not at all confident.” Confidence can be likened to the foundation of a building. It is strong and is built for the building to take shape and last for decades. Consumers who are confident in the safety of the food supply likely trust those who produce food, regulate food and sell food. Given my 28 years in food safety and risk communications, I think it’s fair to suggest that we all stop, take time to self-reflect and consider “what can I do to increase consumer confidence?”   The Work To Be Done  Included in this year’s IFIC Food & Health Survey, we wanted to glean insights regarding consumer confidence in the safety of the U.S. food supply. As a follow-up question about consumer confidence, we included “What would increase your confidence in the safety of the food supply?” Response options included a range of concepts including “food recalls” to “more information on the package.” […]

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IFIC Spotlight Survey: Americans’ Perceptions of Caffeine

The International Food Information Council (IFIC) commissioned an online research survey with consumers based in the US to measure knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about caffeine. One thousand adults aged 18+ years completed the survey from January 12-16, 2024, and responses were weighted to ensure proportional results.  For the full executive summary and top findings, click here.

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IFIC Spotlight Survey: Public Perceptions of Pesticides & Produce Consumption

The International Food Information Council (IFIC) commissioned an online research survey with consumers based in the US to measure knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about pesticides and their application in food production. One thousand adults aged 18+ years completed the survey from February 9-13, 2024, and responses were weighted to ensure proportional results.  For the full executive summary and top findings, click here.

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