Sustainability and choices that can lessen an individual’s environmental impact are top-of-mind for many of us as we move into the new decade. Many of these choices have to do with food purchasing decisions, as supply chain aspects such as food production, packaging, and water use can lead to degradation when done without sustainability in mind.
According to this blog post by Food Business News, “sustainability and climate change make up two of the top five 2020 trends in food nutrition.” More widespread knowledge about the effects of climate change on the planet as well as the effects of certain foods on health is causing consumers to consciously make more responsible individual choices through their purchasing power. Below are a few takeaways from this blog and a summary of the five sustainability trends for 2020.
- Consumers will seek a greater understanding of the term sustainability, as they seek clarity in knowing whether food choices they make are sustainable.
- Environmental concerns will continue to drive greater adoption of plant-based foods because of knowledge around the role the food system plays in climate change.
- People will follow “un-diets,” which focus less on food restrictions and more on natural cues from the body.
- Food companies will make more progress on creating plant-based products that closely mimic the taste and other attributes of animal-based products.
- Consumers will base purchasing decisions on trust – moving purchase decisions towards brands and ingredients they are familiar with.
To learn more about these five trends in greater detail, read the full blog post here.