Articles Tagged with ''consumer trends''

Circana research takes a comprehensive look at consumer snacking habits and patterns, in both retail and foodservice. Here, I want to focus on the three biggest takeaways we found on the retail side of snacking.

Fifty percent of consumers plan to dine at or order from restaurants during the December holidays. When out for dinner, 61% of consumers said they typically order non-alcoholic beverages, while 33% of consumers noted they drink water, with most favoring tap water.

US consumers certainly lead the world in snacking! A solid majority of consumers we surveyed in the US say that they snack at least once a day and frequent snackers in the US far exceed the global average. 

With their distinct flavor and proven health benefits – including being a natural source of melatonin and antioxidants – tart cherries are well-suited to the trending focus on wellness, flavor innovation and bold aesthetics.

In 2024, consumers navigated a challenging economic landscape, balancing financial constraints with a desire for health-focused innovations. The year underscored a "value mindset," as shoppers sought ways to stretch their budgets without sacrificing their priorities.

The report findings are further supported by FMI’s newly released ninth-annual Power of Foodservice at Retail report, which found that retail foodservice purchases continue to play a key role in shoppers’ meal preparation.

""Our annual trends report helps us not only understand the needs of our shoppers, but ensures we're exciting them by curating our shelves with the most fresh, innovative and local products,” said Fresh Thyme Market president Liz Zolcak. “Our shoppers are savvy, so it's important they know innovation is at our core and we can help them discover new products – often before they're available anywhere else in the Midwest."

Looking to the year ahead, the overarching consumer need is that they want something new. They want fresh ideas, unique options that break through the noise, and innovations that are engaging and exciting – something that’s enough to wake them up from their “bed rotting” and “doom scrolling.” 

The Innova Market Insights Top 10 Trends 2025 presents both new trends and trends that have evolved over several years, for example, plant-based, into a new set of exciting trends that will be highly relevant to CPG manufacturers in the months to come.

According to the IFIC survey, one-third of Americans (33%) reported changing their LNCS consumption habit between April 2023 and April 2024. While 10% said they increased LNCS consumption and 6% said they started consuming LNCS, 11% said they decreased LNCS consumption and 6% said they stopped consuming LNCS altogether.