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Speakers: Anastasia Alieva, Global Head of Fresh Food Research & Lee Linthicum, Global Head of Food Research 

Total volume sales of fresh food increased by 3% in 2011, surpassing 1.9 billion tonnes. India, Russia and Brazil drove overall volume sales growth, outperforming the wider global marketplace. Rapid economic growth in the likes of China, India and Brazil is boosting disposable incomes. This in turn means that consumers can afford to eat a more varied diet and increase their consumption of preferred foods, especially meat. Economic uncertainty in Western Europe continues to threaten further gains for fresh food. Consumers in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and UK are increasingly buying less and shopping more selectively.
Fresh food volume consumption during 2011 was among the strongest in the emerging markets of Eastern Europe and Asia Pacific. In both regions there remained an abundance of fresh produce as well as a persistently strong culture of home-cooking and eating fresh food. By contrast, fresh food consumption in Western Europe and North America remained notably lower thanks to busy lifestyles and stronger consumer preferences for the convenience of packaged/processed food.
The developed markets of North America and Western Europe will continue to see lacklustre growth to 2016, with developing markets of Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe and Latin America remaining the drivers of the global fresh food market.
Key points:

Improving retail distribution in developing markets betters availability of fresh food as retailers and food companies alike continue to expand into under-developed rural and semi-urban areas.

Socio-demographic changes in developed markets of Western Europe and North America, such as a rising number of working women and single person households, are driving consumers from fresh to processed food

Fresh food consumption in North America fell during 2011 due to continued consumer preference of packaged/processed food and relative affordability of eating out especially in fast food outlets.

Leading retailers and manufacturers in developed markets are focusing on making fresh food more appealing to consumers by introducing packaging solutions increasing convenience of cooking and handling, prolonging freshness and reducing waste.

Regional Performance in Fresh Food

Globally, fresh food experienced another good year in 2011. Anastasia Alieva, Global Head of Fresh Food Research, states that while regional performance varied, both Asia Pacific and Eastern Europe posted strong sales while sales in Western Europe and North America remained slow. In North America, sales have not picked up since the economic downturn. Consumers affected by the crisis turned to packaged and processed food to save money, and are slow to turn back to fresh food in post-crisis years.

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Home Cooking and Eating Habits: Global Survey Strategic Analysis

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

 This report focuses largely on the “Eating and Drinking” section of Euromonitor International’s 2011 Annual Study of global consumers, and is enriched by strategic analysis, extensive desk research and illustrated with Euromonitor International market data. The aim is to explore how new trends are impacting home eating and cooking habits.

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Cosa c'è nel piatto degli italiani? Prospettive per gli alimenti freschi in Italia.

Il settore alimentare è stato colpito dalla crisi economica in misura minore rispetto ad altre industrie.

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Fresh Food Total Volume Consumption Levels Per Capita: 2011

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Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific continue to drive overall volume growth, outperforming the global market. Rapid economic growth in the likes of China, India and Brazil is boosting incomes. This in turn means that consumers can afford to eat a more varied diet and increase their consumption of preferred foods, especially meat.

Economic uncertainty in Western Europecontinues to threaten further gains for fresh food.Consumers in France, Germany, Italy, Spain andUK are increasingly buying less and shoppingmore selectively. Socio-demographic changes,such as a rising number of working women andsingle person households, are also drivingconsumers from fresh to processed food.

Fresh food consumption fell in North Americaduring , dipping below  kilos per head.Like their counterparts in Western Europe, NorthAmerican consumers tend to prefer theconvenience and added value of packaged /processed food. Moreover, the relative affordabilityof eating out – especially in fast food outlets – hasfurther constrained fresh food volumes.