It is no surprise that the pandemic was at the forefront of consumer minds in 2020. According to the Tetra Pak 2020 Index global research study, COVID-19 and the Food Safety-Environment Dilemma, though 49% of consumers believe environmental issues are among the biggest concerns facing the world today, COVID-19 scores highest with 64%.
The pandemic is changing the consumer landscape with a significant shift to online shopping–as well as an increase in economic concerns, which went from 40% to 47% as the virus affected the economy and employment. Concerns for food safety have also increased in connection with the virus, leading to greater success for ultra-high temperature products in e-commerce and demands for solutions to increase product shelf life.
A case study in the index also reports an escalated interest in trends for health products, such as immunity-boosting foods and drinks, and an increase to 45% of European consumers wanting to add more nutrients to their diets since the start of the pandemic.
