- Consumers are worried the fresh food on store shelves isn't as fresh as it used to be. Sixty percent say the time between buying and spoiling has gotten shorter recently. Meanwhile, 3 in 4 consumers say storing frozen food is convenient.
- For 90% of consumers, price continues to be the top purchase driver for fresh. The combination of recent inflation and the perception that frozen food costs less (held by 62% of consumers) is attracting more consumers to frozen alternatives.
- Frozen is perceived to be just as good or even better than fresh by a majority of younger consumers, driven in part by changes in the versatility, quality and healthfulness of frozen substitutes.
- But fresh still likely plays the bigger role in consumer identity and emotion. An overwhelming 90% of consumers say eating fresh food makes them happy, compared to only 40% who say the same about frozen.
- However, traditional offerings of all kinds should be on watch for the future. Sold in both fresh and frozen departments, plant-based alternatives (PBAs) are on the rise, with consumer interest increasing six percentage points over last year to now constitute 50% of all consumers.
Why this matters
The pandemic continues to influence not just where, but what we eat. According to Deloitte's third annual report on the future of fresh food, frozen is gaining an advantage in the food fight to capture growth in at-home consumption. The report titled, "Fresh vs. Frozen: The Future of Fresh in a Changing Competitive Landscape," describes how consumer behaviors and preferences have shifted amid the larger health, social and economic context, and how food suppliers and retailers can lean into these changes to create new opportunities. The report is based on a survey conducted in July 2021 of 2,000 U.S. adults (aged 18 to 70) who influenced fresh food purchases in their households.
The three Ps shift some consumers from fresh to frozen food
While consumers feel less anxiety about in-store shopping (40% say shopping is more stressful, compared to 54% in 2020), pandemic-influenced shopping habits continue to endure and impact food purchases. And, while fresh food sales are up, frozen is gaining a greater share of the growth.
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For more information: deloitte.com