Puratos launches global trend study for the confectionery and bakery sector
The Puratos group has released its latest global Taste Tomorrow trend report revealing that taste is the top consideration for today’s consumer across bakery, patisserie and chocolate.
According to the latest international study, experience and personalisation around food is also crucial and leading an ethical lifestyle is of growing importance.
Taste Tomorrow is the world’s largest bakery, patisserie and chocolate consumer survey, carried out by global baking, patisserie and chocolate ingredients business Puratos.
Unveiling in-depth insights into global and local consumer behaviours, attitudes and choices, after questioning 17,478 consumers in 40 countries, this independent study offers a ‘foodstep’ into the future and predicts what consumers will come to expect in 2030.
Vera Malhotra, Marketing Director at Puratos UK said: “Our Taste Tomorrow 2019 report shows that taste, experience, personalisation and sustainability are key to today’s consumer. With people more open than ever to new and exciting flavours and textures, we hope the report helps inspire and guide businesses as they innovate to meet consumer demands in the next ten years.”
For its previous study in 2015, the Taste Tomorrow report consumers found freshness was the most important factor when buying bread and patisserie & pastry and taste was the most important for chocolate. However, In 2019, taste has gained in importance and is now the number one criteria for consumers when buying both patisserie & pastry and chocolate. Taste is now the second most important criteria for bakery – beaten only by freshness.
The 2015 report suggested that although consumers enjoyed a small amount of innovation, it was important not to stray too far from the classics. In 2019 this has changed and both traditional and exotic tastes appeal to today’s consumer, with 67% of respondents saying traditional flavours appeal to them and 66% interested in unusual and exotic tastes. Consumers expect to be surprised and are looking for unusual and exotic tastes from around the world. This is especially true for millennials.
While taste is reportedly king, for today’s consumer, food is about a multi-sensory experience. For example, texture is fast becoming a key element of taste, with 64% saying they like to try food with different textures. Appearance is important too, as consumers increasingly want to be wowed and share ‘instagrammable’ foods on social media. It seems demand for multi-sensory options which delight consumers from a taste, texture and visual point of view, is growing.
Experience is queen
67% of consumers say the experience offered around food is key. Once again, taste plays an important role, with 89% saying this is critical to experience. Smell (71%), atmosphere (68%) and service with a smile (63%) are also cited as important.
Today, 44% of consumers say that food is personal and should be adapted from person to person. The trend for personalisation is rapidly getting more advanced however and we believe we are only at the very start of this. A growing number of consumers are already tracking their activities with wearables and based on how many calories they have burned or the goals they set, diet recommendations are being provided. The next step will be more advanced recommendations based on their DNA or gut health and the Taste Tomorrow report reveals 56% of consumers would adapt their food consumption based on their DNA.
Lee Burnside, Bakery and Artisan Sales Director, added: “These results show clearly how important personalisation is to the consumer – whether that be face-to-face hands-on experiences or personal advice and recommendations based on hard data. So, whether it’s the baker sharing his story with a customer or a personalised menu based on individual data and designed to optimise health, consumers want to feel that they are being offered an exclusive and special experience that is just for them. Our insights show that consumers perceive the shopping experience in a craft bakery as being more exclusive, they value the feeling that they ‘know’ the person or team they are buying from and because each item is handcrafted, this also delivers increased value for the consumer.”
Leading an ethical lifestyle is a key concern for consumers. Whereas the Puratos 2015 Taste Tomorrow report showed that sustainability was perceived as a ‘nice to have’ amongst consumers**, in 2019 it is fast becoming a ‘must have’ and only looks set to grow.
Consumers are taking steps to lead a more ethical lifestyle at every stage of their food experience – from the food itself to the packaging and even the distribution. Limiting plastic packaging is popular, with 56% of respondents stating that they do this. 46% of those surveyed say they look for sustainable products that respect the environment when shopping and 54% say that animal welfare is a priority. Interest in buying local is growing too – with 27% doing so on a weekly basis. Simple ethical solutions are proving popular with consumers, so highlight how easily products or actions can be incorporated into their daily routine to boost interest.
As well as caring about the planet, the report shows that food goes beyond the personal and consumers care about the people behind their food too. 42% of people look for food for which farmers receive a fair price when shopping and 27% buy this on a weekly basis. A further 28% expect to buy more of this in the future. Consumers are more interested than ever before in the provenance of their food and that includes the people who grow and produce it. The ethics of a brand or business really matter today, so invest in telling your story, show how you are relevant to your customers and reap the benefits.
Vegan food is increasingly seen as good for the environment and health, with 20% buying vegan/vegetarian food on a weekly basis and 24% expecting to buy more in the future. 38% believe vegan food has a positive impact on the environment and 69% see plant-based products as a solution to prevent or solve food shortages.