Consumer Trends
Consumer trends, insights and preferences
Consumer Trends
Increase in “healthy” menu items for kids and adults
The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s (DGAC) call for healthier restaurant menus did not fall on deaf ears. According to Mintel Menu Insights, menu items labeled as “healthy” increased 65% from 2009. DGAC also urged restaurants to pay more attention to kids’ menus, as “prevention for obesity in childhood is the single most powerful public health approach to combating America’s obesity epidemic.”
Consumer Trends
Women Own Nearly Half the Restaurants in the U.S.
New research from the National Restaurant Association reveals that nearly 50 percent of restaurants are now owned by women. In addition, restaurants employ more minority managers than any other industry in the U.S.
When 1,013 Americans were asked by The Shelton Group, an advertising and researching firm, “Which is the best description to read on a food label?” 25% said “100 percent natural” and another 24% selected “USDA Certified Organic” or “100% organic.” Encouragingly, 17%, the next greatest voting category, selected “Grown in the USA.”
The government's new dietary guidelines are graphically illustrated in the MyPlate icon—a round plate divided into four quadrants, representing fruits, vegetables, protein and grains. The nutritionally-balanced quadrants guide eaters toward a healthy daily diet. But according to the NPD Group's National Eating Trends research, most Americans don't meet the guidelines.