Dive Brief:
- Election Day is finally here, and people from both parties have been purchasing the foods and beverages they'll serve at their victory parties, according to recent market research from Ibotta, provided to Food Dive.
- Republican consumers seem to be trending toward more traditional party and grilling supplies (1.4 times more than Democrats), including sub-segments like hot dogs, beef jerky and popcorn.
- Democratic consumers, on the other hand, are purchasing body care products, such as body lotions and sunscreen, in addition to vegetable and meat alternatives.
Dive Insight:
While some of this data could be anecdotal rather than based on hard numbers, it does demonstrate a distinct divide in food policy along party lines. That's despite the fact that neither presidential candidate has taken a hard stance on many issues directly relevant to the industry.
This listing isn't entirely surprising, considering the main issues each party tends to publicly defend.
The International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation’s 2016 Food and Health Survey found that conservatives favor economic sustainability initiatives, such as conserving farmland over multiple generations (41%) and ensuring affordability of the food supply (47%). Liberals instead lean toward the environmental impact of sustainability, such as reducing carbon footprint (22%) and conserving natural habitats (51%).
The election is still too close to tell at this point in the day, but Food Dive has outlined how either candidate, Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, might impact food policy if elected.