Amy Bond, Assistant Librarian, and Information Specialist, Bord Bia – The Irish Food Board
In this always-on, fast-paced modern world, consumers’ lives are becoming increasingly hectic. This is explored in the Busy Lives section of Bord Bia’s Consumer Lifestyle Trends. The pressure of keeping up with these demands can place a lot of stress on consumers, both physical and emotional. Increasingly, consumers are realising that food can play a role in helping them manage this stress and its impact on their emotional wellbeing.
There are different approaches to how food can be used to help people regulate their mood. Mintel describes how these can be broadly divided into how our choice of food affects our mood, versus how our mood affects our choice of food.
People are starting to understand that a healthy diet plays a role in managing their emotional state. Mintel research found that 66% of UK consumers agreed that what we eat has a direct impact on our emotional wellbeing. WGSN has reported that consumers are focusing on maintaining healthy natural diets to support their overall wellness, and long term emotional health. There is also a greater understanding of how individual ingredients can contribute to the mood. Some of the main ones Mintel are seeing come through in global product launches are neurotransmitters like serotonin, a range of amino acids, endorphins, and micronutrients like cacao. WGSN also notes that the trend for fermented foods plays into this space as well, as recent research has suggested that gut health can play a role in emotional well-being. This also opens opportunities for probiotics and prebiotics. Natural herbal and botanical products are also of interest to consumers in this space, with some drawing on traditions of ancient medicine.
As well as becoming more knowledgeable of what foods can support long term emotional wellbeing, consumers will continue to turn to “comfort foods” in times of high pressure. According to Mintel, 33% of UK consumers have eaten comfort foods to tackle work related stress. These types of high sugar and high fat foods can provide an immediate boost to moods when instant relief is needed.
It seems that consumers will continue to look for both instantaneous gratification, as well as products with prolonged effects. However, there is still a need for a lot more research to support the efficacy of such products, so producers will need to be cautious with the claims they make, but they should keep an eye on opportunities, as consumers will continue to search for a sense of calm in a crazy world.
