2022 global consumer trends

Although consumer trends constantly evolve and the challenging situation with pandemic and global recession have accelerated several trends and slowed down others, the overall AGRANA trend framework of our six global megatrends is also valid for 2022:

Act for future: sustainable living, ethics and inclusive society, path towards carbon neutrality
Leverage nature: plant-based eating, natural functional ingredients, clean label
Forever young: preventative health approach, gut & immune health, mental wellbeing, mood foods
Seek control: healthy yet convenient lifestyle, mindful eating, tracking for control, affordability
Live intense: experience, sensory exploration, nostalgia, imagination & escapism, playfulness
Shaking tech: e-commerce & social selling, contactless order & delivery, gamification, agri-tech, lab-grown and 3D-printed food

SO, WHAT’S NEW IN 2022?

Even though the megatrend framework has not substantially changed since last year, there are many new developments within this framework.

[Translate to English:] 2022 trend overview

Sustainability and health are becoming much more intertwined with climate-friendly diets also in focus. Besides front-of-pack nutrition labels, environmental scores are now being widely discussed, and some food service operators already offer “climatarian” menu choices highlighting the carbon footprint of dishes to help consumers make the best choice for them AND the planet.

Another hot topic is plant-based evolution; we call it “plant forward”. The plant-based trend continues and is focusing even more on sustainability, nutritional value, clean label and premiumization. These products have evolved from “an alternative” to stand-alone products. As the range on offer becomes broader, the variety of plant-based sources is constantly increasing. There are still some challenges to overcome however in order for this segment to grow even further: price, clean label formulations and indulgence appeal being some of them.

Health of course also remains at the top of consumers’ agendas in 2022. Although physical health and especially immunity are still very important, the number one criterion for health globally has now become mental wellbeing. According to the Euromonitor Voice of the Consumer Health and Nutrition Survey, 64% of consumers rank mental wellbeing as the top criterion for health. To fight stress and anxiety and to manage one’s moods, consumers are focusing more on sleep, self-care, and happiness. This is reflected in our key theme “happy me, healthy me”.

[Translate to English:] Was gibt es neues im Jahre 2022

Besides this increased interest in taking care of the planet and one’s health, consumers are at the same time “ready to experience again”. Depending on the individual situation in terms of the pandemic and their budget, these escapism moments can take two forms:

Going out and enjoying a multi-sensory experience: Google reported 100% YOY growth in the search term “fancy restaurants near me” in 2021.
Feeling transported to another part of the world or a virtual world by food experiences at home. “Take me far away” is our related key theme here and we observe that the Korean, Japanese, and Mexican cuisines are trending in particular for 2022.

CURIOUS TO FIND OUT MORE?

These are just some highlights of the consumer trend developments for food & beverages in 2022. If you are interested in more, get in touch with us for a dedicated presentation. At AGRANA Fruit, we leverage our global network of marketers, product development and innovation specialists to stay up to date with the latest developments. We always tailor our fruit solution offering to trending consumer needs and customer requirements. We are looking forward to co-creating the next market hit with you!

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2022 global consumer trends