Healthy Eating Takes a Back Seat During Coronavirus but is Likely to Bounce Back
Consumers are turning to comfort foods to help them through the coronavirus crisis. According to GlobalData’s COVID-19 Tracker Consumer Survey, sales of alcohol, snack foods and tobacco have all increased.
Recognizing the risks that this poses to consumer health, The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a #HealthyAtHome campaign, to encourage consumers to stay physically and mentally fit during the current period of confinement.
Carmen Bryan, a Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, believes that more government-endorsed health initiatives could soon follow and urges food manufacturers to prepare for a new health craze post COVID-19.
“While health consciousness appears to have taken a backseat for some consumers, it is likely to rebound in force, backed by consumer demand, government programs and new product launches that will drive one another in an almost circular economy. Brands should take this slowdown to reassess their product lines, and innovate for the long-term, targeting the vices consumers have garnered over the course of quarantining with ‘healthy’ comfort foods.”