Food and beverage: Essential data and insights
Food and beverage: Essential data and insights

Food and beverage: Essential data and insights

From our love of protein and caffeine to the growing concern about additives and unsafe chemicals, the food and beverage space is evolving rapidly. Here’s what you need to know.

Key Takeaways

76%

The percentage of American 18 to 34-year-olds who say they need caffeine to get through the morning.

64%

The percentage of Americans who say they tend to avoid processed foods

20%

The percentage of Americans who name obesity as the #1 threat to American public health

Most Americans trust food inspections less

More than half of Americans say they trust food inspectors less in the wake of food recalls that have happened since this summer (54%), with Republicans most likely to say their trust has dropped, according to new polling from the Ipsos Consumer Tracker. (Read more.)

Americans want customer service interactions to be human, not AI

People strongly prefer having humans actually make their food, and few strongly prefer having ordering or prep automated. But one takeaway from the panel is that mixing those things can work fine. Get greeted by a human and then use a kiosk to order? That can cover our human needs. (Read more.)

Cyclospora outbreaks led two in three Americans to change buying behavior

One in three Americans said they were buying less produce at the grocer this summer. Similar numbers were making sure to wash their produce at home. And most importantly, only one in three reported no changes in behavior. This is a topic we’ll come back to soon, as food recalls just keep coming. (Read more.)

Majorities of shoppers say their grocery bills seem higher than usual  

Most people say they’re paying more for pretty much everything, which checks out — including a 7-point bump in people paying more for dairy, from 58% to 65%. (Read more.)

Shoppers are increasingly cost-conscious when it comes to food 

Nearly six in ten respondents (58%) now report paying more attention to the per-unit cost versus the total cost of food items, a change largely driven by budget constraints. This behavior is even more pronounced among certain demographics, rising to 69% for consumers aged 35 to 54, 70% for lower-income consumers, and 68% for non-White consumers. (Read more.)

Economic concerns are reshaping Americans' food shopping habits

Interestingly, about half (52%) of consumers have also altered how frequently they buy groceries, again primarily due to budget changes. This shift is most common among those aged 18 to 34 (64%), 35 to 54 (61%), lower-income households (69%), Hispanic consumers (76%), and households with children (69%). (Read more.)

Protein and hydration on the rise for functional food fans

The latest wave of the Ipsos Consumer Tracker shows the strong impacts of GLP-1s and MAHA messaging on consumer choices. Compared to last year, Americans are seeking more foods and beverages with increased protein (43%), reduced sugar/sugar alternatives (37%), and higher fiber (31%). In the next tier are sustainable ingredients (29%) and probiotics (26%). (Read more.)

Most say they need caffeine to get through the morning (and the afternoon, too) 

Americans need their caffeine. Three in four say it’s needed to get them through the morning. Half say they need it to get through the afternoon. And we drink it at various times and occasions, too. Half say they drink it with meals. Half say they drink it before exercise because it helps their workout. (Read more.)

Americans are here for healthy food additives

Americans are very open to pretty much any and all of their foods becoming more functional. We asked, “many foods add additional health benefits as supplements (i.e., vitamins, fiber, protein, etc.). How important, if at all, is it to you to have those ingredients in the following kinds of foods?” Sizeable majorities were interested in these added benefits in just about every category we asked. (Read more.)

Ingredients for the perfect food: flavor, quality and affordability

Flavor, quality of ingredients, and affordability are Americans' top three priorities for food. But there are some generational differences. Notably, affordability ranks No. 2 for 18- to 34-year-olds. Quality of ingredients ranks as the top factor for the 55 and older community at 61% (vs. 50% for overall No. 1, flavor).(Read more.)

People prioritize protein

Broadly, what we eat hasn’t changed much since 2023 when we first asked this. About half try to prioritize organics, and the number of people who say they try to limit the amount of processed foods they eat has stayed stable at 64%. Meanwhile, a majority (57%) put a premium on protein. (Read more.)

The more we know about artificial sweeteners, the less we want to consume them

When we first asked about sweeteners a year ago, agreement was already high among all of these statements and agreement has only gotten higher on most metrics. Many more (84% up from 69%) say they have a good understanding of what a natural vs. artificial sweetener is. And as we’ve learned more, it seems, we are less interested in consuming them. (Read more.)

Further reading 

Historical data

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