Sustainability claims increasingly influence grocery shoppers globally, Cargill survey finds

Photo from Cargill

The percentage of global consumers influenced by sustainability claims in the grocery aisle is growing, according to a new survey from ingredients supplier Cargill (Minneapolis). The latest results from the company’s global FATitudes survey found that 55% of respondents were more likely to purchase a packaged food, such as potato chips and cookies, if it featured a sustainability claim. This is a four-point jump since the last time the survey asked the question in 2019, the company says.

This latest Cargill FATitudes survey was conducted in summer 2021 on 6,000 primary grocery shoppers in 11 countries: Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Philippines, Russia, UK, and U.S. The goal of the FATitudes survey is to determine consumers’ awareness, perceptions, and behaviors toward fats and oils in packaged food.

In the latest survey, the company reported, “more than half of the countries surveyed showed an increase in the influence of sustainability claims,” especially Brazil and Mexico, India, and the UK. Sustainability awareness was also up in the U.S., with 37% of survey respondents stating they’d be more likely to purchase a packaged food with a sustainability claim, a 6-point jump from 2019.

The survey also asked which sustainability claims appealed most to consumers, finding that “sustainably sourced” and “conservation of natural resources” led the list over claims of Fair Trade and reduced packaging.