HEALTH, PLEASURE AND PRICE: THE NEW FOOD EQUATION

How did Circana support SIAL in identifying and analysing the trends presented in the SIAL Insights report?

Circana contributed to this edition of SIAL Insights by providing a perspective grounded in real consumer data, including retail sales figures, shopper behaviour and consumer panels covering both grocery retail and out-of-home foodservice. The aim was to distinguish short-term market effects from deeper, more lasting transformations.

This work allows us to examine not only what consumers say they want, but, more importantly, what they actually buy.

One conclusion stands out particularly clearly today: food is entering a new phase. It is becoming more personalised, more functional and more demanding, while remaining heavily constrained by purchasing power.

What are the main developments transforming consumer expectations around food today?

We see three major expectations that now shape purchasing decisions.

The first is health. Consumers are increasingly looking for specific benefits, such as energy, satiety, digestive health, immunity, mental wellbeing and better-quality sleep.

The third remains pleasure. Despite economic pressures, consumers around the world still want to treat themselves, discover new flavours and enjoy memorable food experiences.

The major change is that these expectations are no longer viewed as competing priorities. Consumers no longer accept having to choose between health, pleasure and price. They expect all three at once.

What are the main trends currently emerging across food retail categories?

One of the most significant trends is the rise of functional food. Products are no longer purchased solely for their taste or price, but also for the benefits they provide, whether protein, fibre, energy, recovery, digestive health or mental wellbeing.

We are also seeing strong growth in snack-based meals. Consumers are not abandoning traditional meals altogether, but they are looking for greater flexibility in when and how they eat.

Another important development is that plant-based food is entering a new phase. The market is gradually moving away from a purely substitution-based approach towards broader dietary diversification. Plant-based products are more appealing when they deliver taste, convenience and a clear response to specific nutritional expectations.

The categories that succeed in the future will be those offering consumers a clear benefit that is easy to understand.

How can food industry players balance health, pleasure and affordability?

This is probably one of the greatest challenges facing food retail today.

Our data shows that consumers remain highly conscious of their budgets, but they are not prepared to abandon their expectations. They may still be willing to pay slightly more for a product that closely matches what they are looking for, particularly when its benefits are tangible.

The added value must therefore be highly visible, concrete and immediately understandable. It might take the form of a nutritional benefit, a high-quality formulation, a reassuring origin or greater convenience. Premium products can command a higher price, but the difference must not be excessive. It is ultimately a question of balance.

Successful products are often those that make innovation accessible, which does not necessarily mean inexpensive, rather than reserving it for a premium audience.

This can be seen in certain high-protein ranges, everyday plant-based products and private-label brands that are bringing trends once confined to niche markets to a much wider audience. It can be done.

Growth today depends on the ability to deliver a clear benefit at the right price point.

How can retailers give greater visibility to local producers and regional expertise?

Local origin remains an extremely powerful reference point for consumers.

In what can sometimes feel like a complex market environment, origin acts as a marker of trust, quality and proximity. More than six in ten French consumers say they prioritise products made in France or in their own region.

However, promoting local products is no longer simply a matter of placing a flag on the packaging. Consumers want to know the story behind a product, understand where it comes from and identify the women and men who make it.

Local products become real value creators when they are associated with a promise of quality and authenticity.

In future, local origin will not simply indicate where a product comes from. It will serve as proof.

If you had to identify one trend capable of profoundly transforming food in the coming years, what would it be?

I would choose functional food.

For many years, people bought food primarily to nourish themselves or for enjoyment. Increasingly, they are also choosing products for the effect they may have on their health, energy, recovery and general wellbeing.

The current protein boom is the most visible example, but other areas are already emerging, including fibre, digestive health, immunity and products designed to support consumers through specific stages of life.

The issue extends far beyond product innovation alone. It represents a profound change in the way consumers define value in food.

The food of the future will not only need to taste good. It will also need to serve a purpose.