Transparency emerges as a clear winner in Innova Market Insights’ Top Ten Trends for 2021.
1 Transparency Triumphs
Increasing transparency to meet evolving ethical, environmental and clean label consumer demands will be vital. Brands that adopt and pair new packaging technologies such as invisible barcodes and near-field communication with creative and meaningful storytelling will forge a successful strategy.
6 in 10 global consumers are interested in learning more about where foods come from.
2 Plant-Forward
As plant-based trends reach global phenomenon status, the ‘plant-based’ definition is ever-evolving. Its rising mainstream appeal will drive expansion to different regions and categories, including accelerated demand for new formats, plant proteins and more sophisticated alternatives.
The top four reasons for considering plant-based alternatives are health, diet variety, sustainability and taste.
“Transparency throughout the supply chain will dominate in 2021, with consumers searching for brands that can build trust, provide authentic and credible products, and create shopper confidence in the current and post-COVID climate.”
Lu Ann Williams, Director of Insights and Innovation at Innova Market Insights
3 Tailored to Fit
Personalized nutrition is in the spotlight as consumers look for food and beverages that fit their unique lifestyles. Consumers will continue to expect a tailored approach to how and what they eat. Technological breakthroughs, constant new launches and exciting sensorial experiences will provide solutions to create customizable lifestyles.
64% of global consumers have found more ways to tailor their life and products to their individual style, beliefs and needs.
4 Omnichannel eating
As foodservice and retail domains increasingly overlap, consumers can eat what they want, when and where they want it. The use of convenient meal kits/starters and more sophisticated ingredients is growing. Restaurant delivery is too. Consumers can also now directly access many specialty products that were previously only accessible via foodservice.
46% of global consumers agree that restaurant branded products are a convenient way to attain the restaurant experience/flavors at home.
5 In tune with immune
Ongoing anxiety stemming from Covid-19 will encourage consumers to prioritize their immune health. Immunity-boosting ingredients will play a significant role, while
research and interest in the role of the microbiome and personalized nutrition as ways to strengthen immunity will accelerate.
6 in 10 global consumers say they are increasingly looking for food and beverage products that support their immune health.
6 Nutrition Hacking
Technology to drive functional food understanding, nutrition advice and the environmentally-conscious nature of products will be popular. Consumers will use technology to search for balanced formulations and improved nutrition-based products, as well as those with sustainability or ethical impact claims.
7 Mood: The Next Occasion
With consumers increasingly prioritizing their holistic health and wellbeing, product launches and technological applications will focus on how food and beverages influence the physical, mental and emotional aspects of health. New mood-based product development is seeing staggering growth as well as on-pack labeling claims.
8 Product Mashups: When Trends Collide
Variety and multifunctionality appeal to consumers eager to discover new products, formats and categories, for all occasions. Hybrid innovation will enjoy sustained popularity as consumers favor options that broaden the dimensions of indulgence.
9 Modern Nostalgia
Local appeal, interest in traditional and regional foods, and product origin remain sought-after as consumers want to try regional and exotic flavors inspired from around the world. Brands will apply local twists to familiar products to offer heightened sensory delivery through surprising and unexpected flavors, textures and formats.
10 Age of the Influencer
Storytelling, brand connection and shareable social media experiences reign supreme. Expect to see a slow shift to more reliable influencers and a gradual expansion of the diversity of influencers to drive trust and credibility.
