A new Produce Marketing Association (PMA)-sponsored study analysing the attitudes and preferences guiding the food choices on US consumers has identified the need to reinforce connections between fruit and vegetables and healthy eating.
'Healthy Eating Trends 2009', a survey carried out by The Hartman Group, found that links between consumer perception and knowledge about nutrition and health were varied, with the term 'fresh' carrying a strong message - perhaps even more so than specific content claims made by processed foods.
The study found that while consumers determine the healthiness of food through nutrition labels, they have a limited overall understanding of the healthy compounds found in fruit and vegetables.
'To the casual consumer, nutrition labels on raw fruit and vegetables probably do not present a particularly compelling story when compared to the labels on many processed health foods,' said Steve Lutz, executive vice-president at the Perishables Group. 'As a result, more holistic messages regarding the broader health benefits of fresh fruit and vegetables are potentially more powerful.'
Additionally, 'Healthy Eating Trends 2009' revealed that the concept of healthy eating appealed more to older age groups, and that the industry should do more to tap into that market's potential.
'This study is particularly interesting because it is not constrained to specific food departments, channels, store formats or even retail versus foodservice food purchases, said Julia Stewart, PMA's consumer trends specialist. 'The implications of the trends identified in the research will really help produce companies focus their health marketing and messaging in the future.'
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