Change is hard. A review of consumers’ progress in shifting to healthier lifestyles is a testament to that fact.

Yes, consumers have made some changes, increasing spending on fruits and vegetables, “light” products, and functional foods and beverages, for instance.

But, as a whole, these changes are not enough. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. consumers are still overweight or obese, and consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains are dramatically below where they should be.

CPG manufacturers and retailers have addressed growing consumer demand for healthier products through heavy investment in new product development, health and wellness marketing and consumer education on websites and in-store.

The next phase will be more about getting ahead of consumer demand -- stimulating new demand by making healthy eating easy, affordable and accessible to all.

This free summary is also accessible via the GMA/FPA Web site at  http://www.gmabrands.com/publications/gmairi.cfm
 

Select Findings

• Consumers’ transition to healthier lifestyles has been slow and gradual, as evidenced by continued alarming obesity rates, spending that still heavily skews towards indulgent products, and failure to meet dietary guidelines
   
• CPG manufacturers and retailers can accelerate the pace of change through initiatives addressing consumer hurdles to healthier eating, including price, time constraints, taste, availability and information – benefiting consumers while growing brand, category and store sales
   
• Consumers are woefully behind in whole grain and fruit and vegetable consumption relative to dietary guidelines; innovative new products and marketing have been introduced to address these gaps, but there is a long way to go and plenty of growth potential
   
• Functional food and beverages are set to soar as consumers increasingly recognize wellness benefits of specific ingredients; products contributing to heart health, digestive health, cancer protection and energy levels show particularly strong potential
   
• While the market for healthier products is broad, there are several segments with unique needs that warrant targeted product development and marketing: Boomers, chronic disease sufferers, lower-income consumers and kids