Bite-Sized Insights: Organic 6th in Factors for Parents Making Healthy Food Choices
Each week we ask our trusted Insights panel of parents a key question. This week we were interested in finding out how important certain factors are when making ‘healthy’ food purchases for the family during the grocery shop.
Do products need to be organic? Do parents care about buying local Irish-made products? Take a quick read of this week’s bite-sized insights to find out what parents value the most with regards to healthy food purchases.
Would you like business-transforming insights for your brand? Use our tailored panels of engaged parents and our dedicated private platform to gather critical insights to help your decision making and activate customers. Contact us now to find how we can help.
Recommended reading: 5 Key Insights from Parents on Buying Irish Food Products
We asked our Insights panel of parents to tell us how important certain factors are to them when buying food products at the supermarket. We gave them 10 options and in order of preference, here’s how parents answered:
- 1st: The product has low sugar or low salt
- 2nd: The product is local or Irish
- 3rd: The product is free range
- 4th: The product is low fat
- 5th: The product is high in protein
- 6th: The product is organic
- 7th: I only care about the price
- 8th: The product is vegan
- 9th: The product is gluten free
- 10th: None of the above
Any further thoughts on healthy food?
Comments from our panel members included:
“I avoid artificial flavourings and colours etc. when buying food.”
“I try to buy products that are as close to homemade as possible.”
“I have to buy within my budget, so price is crucial for my shopping but I also seek out low in fat products too.”
“Price, quality, local and healthy are the things that I look for when buying food products.”
“Price is important but also quality and when it concerns meats and dairy I prefer to buy Irish.”
“High quality nutritious foods from reputable brands.”
“I care about price but it wouldn’t be the only thing I care about. I also care that it is from a brand I trust and recognise.”
“Less plastic wrapping is something I look for also.”
“I usually ask myself ‘will my kids eat it?’ when making food purchases.”
“I try to buy the best of everything for my family within my budget.”
Actionable Insights for Food Brands and Retailers
- Low sugar/salt options are important to parents. Producers and retailers could help boost sales by building a social media presence around providing recipes that emphasise and showcase specific low sugar/salt products and brands.
- Local/Irish products are highly prized among parents. Local food producers should make every effort to let consumers know their origins. Becoming members of reputable organisations like Love Irish Food can help boost the perceived authenticity of your products among parents.
- Quality is a word that came up again and again with parents in our study. What ways can your brand assure its quality to parents? Try to encourage interactivity with your customers via social channels. User generated content can really help to build product reputation, as word of mouth is still the most powerful form of advertising.
Would you like business-transforming insights from parents for your business? Use our tailored panels of engaged parents and our dedicated private platform to gather critical insights to help influence consumers to deliver long term profitability. Contact us now to find how we can help.
