“Shared Planet” is the top trend in consumer research company Innova Market Insights’ top 10 trends for the year 2022, the company said, forecasting that people are more interested in playing a part in sustainable and ethical practices through purchasing decisions.
 
Based on Innova surveys, “consumers tell us they want to be ethically and environmentally conscious, so brands need to work alongside consumers to breed confidence in the claims attached to products. Trust and transparency are must-haves for any brand wishing to find common ground with an increasingly educated, forward-thinking and interconnected consumer base,” Innova reported.
 
The company’s survey, which was conducted across 11 countries, revealed that the top two environmental actions people are taking in food choices are reducing waste (43%) and eating in moderation (32%).
 
“One of the biggest shifts we are seeing is that the health of the planet is now the top concern of consumers,” Lu Ann Williams, director of Innova’s Global Insights, said. “Personal health has been the big concern for the past few years, but consumers now tell us that this has been surpassed by global issues. Sustainability is no longer just a Wall Street issue. It might not be the top purchase driver for all consumers, but for many it clinches the deal when it comes to choosing between products.”
 
Shared Planet
 
Brands today are moving on from simply proclaiming their credentials to meeting a clear, agreed, and understandable measurement of their environmental and social impact, the company said. There is work to be done by companies to build trust in claims of zero or positive impact on the environment, and companies will likely have to work together to foster acceptance of certifications and public faith in the actions that brands take. This means quick, clear, tangible, and trusted information combined with a product life story that stands up to scrutiny, Innova said.
 
Plant-based: The Canvas for Innovation
 
Continued innovation in plant-based alternatives, and not just mimicry of meat, fish and dairy, will continue to be a driving factor in sustainable dietary choices, the company said of its second top trend. According to surveys, consumers widely consider it healthier and better for the environment to use plant-based alternative products. The desire for diet variation has also fueled a 59% increase in launches of new plant-based products in a 52-month span ending August 2021.

Tech to Table
 
With ‘Tech to Table’ taking the number-three slot in Innova’s top 2022 trends, food technology, which is embraced by innovators to change product, will require work in order to become more trusted by consumers through open and honest communication, the company said. Currently, consumers are turning to apps and AI for guidance on personalized nutrition, and are seeking out how to fulfill their needs. Respondents to Innova’s consumer survey said that they would be more willing to embrace changes such as data sharing and new food technology if it can be shown to be beneficial to personal and global health.
 
Shifting Occasions
 
The changes in eating occasions seen since pandemic lockdowns began may have some staying power this far after the emergence of COVID-19, Innova said. Consumers will seek more out of food experiences that take place outside of the home now that they are accustomed to eating at home. This will lead the industry to come up with better ways to gear products to a public whose social habits have been challenged.
 
Voice of the Consumer
 
Consumers expect brands to be more responsive to their concerns in real-world and digital channels, Innova said, and people want foods and beverages that align with their political, social, and ethical values. Where they can’t be found, more entrepreneurial consumers are taking action to fill the gap themselves to satisfy specific market niches.
 
Innova’s five other top 2022 trends, “Gut Glory,” “Back to the Roots,” “Amplified Experiences,” “Upcycling Redefined,” and “My Food, My Brand,” will be covered by Williams at a webinar taking place on Wednesday, November 3 at 11 a.m. ET.