inStore - July/August 2014 - 3

editor's note

CONSUMER FOCUS

Healthy Lifestyles

Getting to know the healthy lifestyle consumer is more important than 

 "Our findings show consumers expect much more from natural 

ever because their numbers are growing rapidly. According to a new 

food labels and that there is a strong consumer mandate for better 

national survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, 

food production practices in general and food label standards that 

59 percent of US consumers now check to see if the products they 

meet a higher bar," says Urvashi Rangan, Ph.D., executive director for 

are buying are "natural." Further, an estimated 44 million Americans 

Consumer Reports Food Safety and Sustainability Center.

currently live a gluten-free lifestyle. Overall, the healthy lifestyle 
consumer is keeping a keen eye on ingredient labels to know what's 

In the gluten-free market, where annual sales of gluten-free foods 

inside their bakery and deli products and, in more and more instances, 

and beverages have reached around $4.4 billion, progressive instores 

declining to buy products made with ingredients they want to avoid.

are working hard to help consumers understand what's on the shelf. 
Retailers like Wegmans are increasing their gluten-free options.

Laurie Demeritt, CEO of The Hartman Group, offers details of the 
International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association's new report, "Engaging 

To help consumers with specific dietary restrictions, Wegmans has 

the Evolving Shopper: Serving the New American Appetite," which 

worked on many fronts to make shopping and cooking easier for those 

reveals bakery, deli and cheese shoppers are more specific these days 

with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Here are some 

about what types of ingredients they are avoiding. "100 percent natural 

key steps the company has taken to help: Better labeling. Grouping 

is more of an idea that consumers have," she explains, "but it's better to 

gluten-free products together. Developing better products. And offering 

avoid using 100 percent natural as a marketing message."

recipes and information on wegmans.com.

Rather, bakery, deli and cheese shoppers are striving to avoid specific 

Helping the healthy lifestyle consumer feel welcome at your stores 

attributes, and these are the messages to hone in on. Top attributes that 

requires a multi-faceted approach with clear and concise informa-

consumers are seeking in the bakery include no high-fructose corn 

tion to better serve their needs. Many instores are already seeing big 

syrup (HFCS), no artificial ingredients, and no artificial preservatives.

payoffs, and it is likely this trend will continue for some time.
John Unrein
JUNREIN@SOSLAND.COM

instore  *  JUL + AUG 2014  *  3
http://www.wegmans.com
inStore - July/August 2014

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