GlobalData’s latest Q3 2018 consumer survey has revealed that the influence of ethical and environmental factors on food purchase decisions has increased in the UK over the last two years. Almost a third (31 percent) of consumers surveyed in the UK in 2018 claim to be often or always influenced by how ethical, environmentally friendly, or social responsible a product is when choosing what food to buy; an increase of four percentage points compared to 2016.
Melanie Felgate, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “As food choices are increasingly scrutinized by ethically minded consumers, the challenge for manufacturers will be to balance the need for less (and more eco-friendly) packaging, with the necessity to also minimize food waste. The latter of which, packaging can play a vital role in helping to achieve.”