Question

1. How does the eating better phenomenal has effect on the industry? (less packaged foods, more meat and vegetables?

 

 

Answer 1

The eating better phenomenon has a significant effect on the food processing/pre-packaging industry. Packaged foods are portrayed as unhealthy and likely to cause lifestyle diseases like obesity, cancer and diabetes. This awareness campaign coupled with these allegations (which are at times supported by scientific studies!) have led to reduced consumption of canned foods in preference for fresh foods, reduction in demand for canned meat products in preference for vegetables and other organic/unprocessed foods. Food industry players have been forced to venture in research to formulate healthy foods. They have also been forced to venture in research to establish health risks of foods, risk-benefit analysis, evaluation of efficacy, and toxicity of foods. The phenomenon has also triggered enactment of food safety regulations to guide the industry (Desai, 2000).

The eating better phenomenon is also affecting the industry by redefining the consumer culture where consumers now prefer low-fat, highly nutricious, fresh and less processed foods and beverages. This in return is forcing companies to change or modify their products to suit the new market preferences and tastes brought about by the eating better phenomenon (The Hartman Group, 2015).Equally noteworthy is that tasty, fatty foods is being discarded by the consumer for the nutritious, fibre and vegetable rich diet. The “eat better” phenomenon has also led to a reduction in food additives where food companies are facing pressure to cut back on their usage of food additives. Dairy food products like milk are preferred raw by consumers and such preferences are forcing the companies in the industry to change their products and also develop new ones.