Special diets and superfood claims

Consumers with a growing interest in health and wellness looked to special diets and superfoods over the 2011-2016 period, Packaged Facts said. Trendy diets such as the paleo diet and raw food diet emphasize the benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables while appealing mostly to younger consumers. However, most healthy eaters tend to be older due to age-related health concerns, so baby boomers are a key demographic for fresh produce purchases. Millennials tend not to eat as healthfully because they are often too busy to prepare healthy meals and believe their youth comes with fewer health concerns.

“Fruits with natural sugars are marketed as a healthier alternative to sweets, such as cookies and cakes that may be eaten as a snack,” Mr. Sprinkle said. “As snacking becomes more popular throughout the day, ready-to-eat fresh fruits and vegetables represent an attractive option for many consumers on diets as a replacement for sweets and other processed snacks. Additionally, people looking to increase nutrient intake have turned to foods deemed ‘superfoods’ as a way to stay healthy, which has increased the popularity of produce such as avocados with both the media and consumers alike.”