Perceptions on Processed: Consumer Sentiment and Purchasing Habits

Perceptions on Processed: Consumer Sentiment and Purchasing Habits

Download the survey results here

Key Highlights:

  • Nearly 3 in 4 buy processed foods at least sometimes.
  • Convenience, quick preparation and affordability are the top reasons for buying processed foods.
  • Artificial ingredients, perceived negative impact on health and perceived lack of nutrition are primary reasons for not buying processed foods.
  • Consumers overwhelmingly agree that processed foods are convenient and affordable, but are split on their superiority in terms of safety, compared to unprocessed foods.

It turns out that “processed” is making an impact on Americans’ thought process, particularly when it comes to their food choices. In fact, our 2020 Food and Health Survey found that nearly half (49%) say that whether a product is considered to be processed has an impact on their food and beverage purchasing decisions. Additionally, over two in 5 (43%) say that whether a food is processed has more of an impact on their food and beverage purchases now, compared to ten years ago. But why exactly are Americans tuned into processed foods, and what are possible reasons for their growing influence in decision making?

Our survey, “Perceptions on Processed: Consumer Sentiment and Purchasing Habits in 2020”, explores Americans’ beliefs, perceptions and purchasing behaviors towards processed foods.

  • Most consumers purchase processed foods. A quarter (25%) report buying processed foods very often, while nearly half (47%) say they sometimes purchase them. One in 5 (21%) say they rarely do so, while 4% say they never buy processed foods.
  • Convenience and efficiency are key. Among those who purchase processed foods at least sometimes, the majority do so because “they are convenient” (58% selected within top three reasons). This was followed by “they are quick to prepare” (53%), “they are affordable” (48%) and “I like the taste” (37%). Nearly three in 10 (29%) said they buy processed foods because “they have a longer shelf life” and one in 10 (9%) said “they make it easier to follow a specific eating plan”.
  • Consumers have varied reasons for not buying processed foods. Among those who said they rarely or never purchase processed foods, the most common reason for not buying them was “they have artificial ingredients” (57% selected within top three reasons). However, this was closely followed by “they can have a negative impact on health” (55%) and “they are not nutritious” (53%). Three in 10 (31%) said “they are not safe to consume”, while slightly fewer said “they make it difficult to follow a specific diet or eating pattern” (27%).
  • The COVID-19 pandemic plays a role. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, one in 4 (25%) reported buying more processed foods than they did before the pandemic, while slightly fewer (22%) reported buying fewer processed foods than they did before the pandemic. Just under half (48%) reported buying the same amount of processed foods.
  • Most consumers believe that processed foods are convenient and affordable. When presented with the statement, “processed foods are convenient, affordable options” and asked to select their level of agreement, nearly nine in 10 (89%) agree with this – 48% say they are in complete agreement, while 41% say they agree with some of the statement, but not all of it. However, when it comes to the safety of processed foods, consumers are much more divided in their views. When asked about their level of agreement with the statement, “processed foods are safer than unprocessed foods,” 19% said they were in complete agreement, 28% said they agree with some of the statement but not all of it and 34% said they disagree with the entire statement. Nearly one in 5 (19%) said they were not sure.

Methodology

One thousand interviews were conducted among adults ages 18+ from September 10 to September 12, 2020 and were weighted to ensure proportional results. They were weighted to ensure proportional representation of the U.S. population, with a margin of error of ±3.1 points at the 95% confidence level.