Health and Natural Product Consumers Shop for Values, Seek Transparency, Reports 2015 Market LOHAS MamboTrack Research Survey
BOSTON, MA (February 4, 2015) - Shopper values are driving natural product purchasing, according to the 2015 Market LOHAS MamboTrack Research Survey. The study found that brand choice is driven by taste and healthy product factors, including ingredients and non-GMO, ahead of organic in purchase priority for the second year in a row.
Branded items are gaining favor, all natural is losing cachet, and price is becoming less important to conscious consumers. And while coupon use is still strong, customers report shopping for “values” over “value,” choosing brands based on key product and ingredient factors first.
Non-GMO continues to be top of mind with more than 8 in 10 healthy consumers (83%) indicating it’s important that all products containing GMOs be labeled. That’s a slight uptick above 2014 when 78% of healthy consumers wanted labeling.
A majority said that non-GMO was key to brand buying (57%), edging ahead of organic (53%) for the second year. About 1 in 2 consumers cited “brand that I trust” (48% up from 44% in 2014), ahead of “all natural” which was less of a factor in 2015 (36% down from 42% in 2014).
Health and eco consumers are seeking more transparency about their food supply, looking at how and where their products are grown or produced. Over half (56%) reported that it is important to source and trace the products they purchase back to a grower, company or producer.
Traditional farm products were rated in the top three products most important to source/trace to a given grower or producer, ranking: 1 for produce, 2 for meat/poultry, and 3 for dairy products.
Consumers are taking steps to learn more about their food supply and caring about how and where their food is grown or produced. Around 3 in 4 or more shoppers are reading product/ingredient labels (86%), buying more certified label products (e.g., USDA Organic, Fair Trade, Non-GMO) (81%), Buying direct from local producers or farmers markets and shopping at trusted health/natural product retailers (73% each).
Healthy food issues reflect shopper interest in sourcing and tracing products. Two in 3 or more are focused on healthy food sourcing and safety including pesticide residues (69%), antibiotics in meat and poultry (68%), and food safety and handling/food contamination (66%).
"We are seeing a new trend towards transparency and healthy food sourcing, with a majority of shoppers caring about and wanting to know more about the products they consume. People want to understand where and how their food was produced,” said Karen Herther and Bethany Stanley, principals of Market LOHAS, who directed the MamboTrack Research. Savvy conscious consumers are shopping for values—buying and sourcing healthy products that meet their needs at a good value from brands, local farm outlets and retailers.
For 2015, consumers are shopping for natural and organic products at local farmer’s markets, co-ops, CSAs and their regular grocery stores with a large majority also buying natural and organic products at a variety of specialty stores and outlets.
Consumers continue to use coupons to stretch their natural and organic product budgets, with 3 in 4 healthy shoppers reporting the same or higher (37% each) rate of recent coupon use. Eight in 10 agreed that coupons allowed them to buy more natural and organic products (79%). Around 6 in 10 said they learn about healthy new products through coupons (62%) and often buy brand name natural/organic products with a coupon versus a similar store label product (60%).
The study also revealed growing demand for ‘free of…’ products. About 1 in 3 or more report gluten free (36%), dairy free/lactose free (32%) and plant based vegetarian (31%) buying and dietary patterns for 2015. A paleo diet (hunter-gather diet)—which is ‘free of’ grain, legume and dairy products—was reported among 1 in 8 (13%)—a significant jump over 2014 (9%).
The gluten free category is poised for continued growth with around 3 in 4 natural shoppers buying products labeled as ‘gluten free’ (73%) and more than 9 in 10 planning to increase (39%) or maintain their spending (57%) on gluten free. Staple products such as pasta/rice, cereal, and snacks/crackers lead the list of GF items purchased most frequently.
Other 2015 Market LOHAS MamboTrack Study topics include Organic, Non-GMO and Gluten Free, Grocery Coupon usage and Outlook, healthy dietary patterns, healthy retail shopper marketing programs, purchase patterns, green buying habits including sustainable eco apparel.
The 2015 Market LOHAS MamboTrack Natural and Organic Shopper Survey was fielded online among 1000 health conscious consumer panelists in December 2014 by Market LOHAS leaders in health/eco shopper marketing research, brand visibility and content marketing solutions. MamboTrack is offered in partnership with Mambo Sprout Marketing leader is natural, organic and green product marketing, coupon and promotional services.
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Contact Market LOHAS at MarketLOHAS.com or follow us on Twitter to learn about healthy natural consumer insights, eco shopper marketing promotions, research and content marketing solutions or to purchase the full 2015 MamboTrack Research Report and custom natural shopper profiles.
SOURCE: Market LOHAS – MamboTrack Research www.MarketLOHAS.com
Market LOHAS Study Contacts: Karen Herther 978-635-5411 or Bethany Stanley 913-991-2972 Market LOHAS / MamboTrack Research
PR Media Partner Contact: Lisa Lazarcyk lazpr.com 781-646-0667 [email protected]