Consumer Trends
Enric Marco, Swine consultant, Marco Vetgrup, SLP (España)
Social changes are determined by many and varied factors, but surely among those that have most influenced recent changes would be:
New technologies.
Longer life expectancy.
Globalization and immigration.
Economic and health crisis.
New forms of family organization.
In developed countries, these social changes determine consumer trends.
Food consumer trends in EU
In 2020, each European consumed 69.5 kilograms of meat annually but, since 2011, there have been significant drops in meat consumption in several EU countries.
What are the motivations that lead consumers to stop or reduce the consumption of protein of animal origin?
- Negative effects on human health.
- Animal welfare.
- Environmental concerns / Sustainability:
What comes to your mind when thinking about ‘sustainable food’
The European Consumer Organization. One bite at a time: consumers and the transition to sustainable food. Analysis of a survey of European consumers on attitudes towards sustainable food. June 2020
What can the producer sector do?
The work of informing the consumer in those aspects that concern them has been carried out properly.
We have to be:
- Extremely diligent in the exercise of our responsibilities.
- Fully transparent in communication.
Moreover, when products can demonstrate strong social and/or environmental credentials, more consumers will be willing to pay for them, and this is a job for the producer sector to do.
References
1. Peyrau, JL and MacLeod, M. 2020. Study on Future of EU livestock: how to contribute to a sustainable agricultural sector? Publications Office of the European Union, 2020.
2. EC (2019), EU agricultural outlook for markets and income, 2019-2030. European Commission, DG Agriculture and Rural Development, Brussels.
3. The European Consumer Organization. One bite at a time: consumers and the transition to sustainable food. Analysis of a survey of European consumers on attitudes towards sustainable food. June 2020
4. FAO and WHO, Sustainable healthy diets – guiding principles, Rome, 2019.
5. World Cancer Research Fund, Limit red and processed meat, accessed 10 May 2020.
6. EAT-Lancet Commission, Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems, 2019.