Food & Beverage Asia April/May 2022

MARKET INSIGHTS 15
The future of nutrition:
Five trends to watch out for in 2022
To formulate better products for their customers, brands must
understand the trends that have shaped consumers’ priorities
and preferences in recent years
By Vicky Davies, global marketing director, performance, active and medical nutrition,
FrieslandCampina Ingredients
The food and nutrition industry has
seen rapid change in the trajectory
of consumer trends in recent
years. The pandemic has caused
a heightened focus on issues like
health and immunity, while the
constant evolution of technology
and social media is redefining how
consumers educate themselves on
everything — including nutrition.
Adopting tangible and sustainable practices
will be vital to earning consumers’ trust
FrieslandCampina Ingredients has
used the latest consumer and market
insights to identify and analyse
five of the key trends influencing
the nutrition industry in 2022 and
beyond. As a healthier and more
sustainable future is within reach,
these top trends are poised to inspire
brands to develop new innovations
that offer consumers what they want.
PUTTING THE PLANET FIRST
In 2021, consumers listed “health
of the planet” as their top global
concern — surpassing “health
of the population” for the very
first time 1 . While environmental
concerns are not new, more people
are increasingly concerned about
the health of the planet, leading
to more demand for action.
Nearly half of global consumers made
changes to their diets in the last two
years to align with their sustainability
goals 2 . However, consumers know
they cannot reverse global warming
alone — 65% want food and nutrition
brands to do more to protect the
environment 2 , but greenwashing
and contradictory information
generates challenges for consumers.
Brands need to earn consumers’ trust
by adopting sustainable practices
that are meaningful and tangible.
Consumers are not looking for vague
label claims, they want the companies
they choose to make a real difference.
Transparency is key here, and brands
that can demonstrate the clear positive
effects they are having onthe planet will
hold the most weight with consumers.
However, consumers could be particularly
sceptical of brands that claim multiple
sustainability benefits without evidence.
One UK study suggests that as
many as two-thirds of adults are
wary of environmental business
communications, but seven in 10
would trust a brand’s claim more if
they have a proven track record of
delivering benefits to nature and
people3. One thing is clear: genuine
sustainability efforts, communicated
honestly, are the way to go in 2022.
STAYING RESILIENT AGAINST
LIFE’S CHALLENGES
The COVID-19 pandemic might be
the most significant and recent
example of global physical and
psychological challenges. From
concerns over immune health to the
stresses caused by lockdowns and
restrictions, the pandemic has caused
higher levels of anxiety, depression,
post-traumatic stress disorder,
psychological distress and stress
in eight countries 4 . Consumers are
eager to recover and fortify themselves
through building resilience in both
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA APRIL / MAY 2022