Articles Tagged with ''consumer trends''

Annual eGrocery sales climbed 9.1% compared to 2023, driven by aggressive promotions on subscription and membership programs, which became widespread mid-year. These discounts, ranging from 33% to 80%, resonated with budget-conscious shoppers seeking savings and contributed to increased engagement and retention rates among digital grocery customers.

New findings provide industry leaders with actionable insights to develop personalized products and services that support consumers’ sustainable lifestyle changes and long-term weight management success.

At Prepared Foods, we rely on you, our audience, for the direction of our editorial content. If you want news or new product and trend information, we'll cover it. If your current needs require more technical data regarding food science and ingredient formulation, we'll make certain to make those issues part of our coverage. 

Circana research takes a comprehensive look at consumer snacking habits and patterns, in both retail and foodservice. Here, I want to focus on the three biggest takeaways we found on the retail side of snacking.

Fifty percent of consumers plan to dine at or order from restaurants during the December holidays. When out for dinner, 61% of consumers said they typically order non-alcoholic beverages, while 33% of consumers noted they drink water, with most favoring tap water.

US consumers certainly lead the world in snacking! A solid majority of consumers we surveyed in the US say that they snack at least once a day and frequent snackers in the US far exceed the global average. 

With their distinct flavor and proven health benefits – including being a natural source of melatonin and antioxidants – tart cherries are well-suited to the trending focus on wellness, flavor innovation and bold aesthetics.

In 2024, consumers navigated a challenging economic landscape, balancing financial constraints with a desire for health-focused innovations. The year underscored a "value mindset," as shoppers sought ways to stretch their budgets without sacrificing their priorities.

The report findings are further supported by FMI’s newly released ninth-annual Power of Foodservice at Retail report, which found that retail foodservice purchases continue to play a key role in shoppers’ meal preparation.

""Our annual trends report helps us not only understand the needs of our shoppers, but ensures we're exciting them by curating our shelves with the most fresh, innovative and local products,” said Fresh Thyme Market president Liz Zolcak. “Our shoppers are savvy, so it's important they know innovation is at our core and we can help them discover new products – often before they're available anywhere else in the Midwest."