Slim interest in diet foods: Mintel report

Vivianne Ihekweazu, Mintel’s senior food and drink analyst told FoodNavigator.com: “Consumers increasingly prefer to choose natural foods and to exercise in order to lose weight rather than buy low-calorie and reduced fat foods.” ​

The trend was underpinned by what Ihekweazu described as a “skepticism and cynicism,”​ towards diet foods. Many consumers have tried different weight loss programes with varying degrees of success and are now interested in healthier diets.

About 60 per cent of Britons say they prefer food that is naturally low in fat or calories, according to the survey. Driving the trend are government information campaigns about healthy eating, a heightened awareness of self image and celebrity endorsement of healthy diets, said Ihekweazu.

Reduced calorie foods​

Two-thirds (63%) of consumers who have dieted over the past three years have done so using reduced calorie foods. But more than a quarter (27%) of consumers do not find low-calorie foods as filling and the same percentage claim they end up eating more of them as a result.

“While manufacturers have been active in developing new product lines, consumers still take issue with the taste of many reduced calorie food items, and also feel that portion sizes of low-calorie foods leave them feeling hungry, leading them to overeat,”​ said Ihekweazu.

“The recent response from industry to this has seen a raft of new product launches that promise to keep consumers feeling full for longer.” ​

More than half (54%) of the consumers surveyed claim to be more interested in taste than calorie or fat content.

A skeptical 48 per cent% consumers think low-fat foods are not as healthy as they seem and 44 per cent worry about the safety of some of the sweeteners used in diet foods.

The trend towards healthier eating was particularly marked for the over 45 age group and for families with young children, said Ihekweazu.

Innovation​

The UK market for reduced calorie foods has showed steady growth driven by innovation in the licensed food category, according to the report.

Between 2008 and 2009, value sales of reduced calorie foods increased by 1.8 per cent to reach £2.1bn.

Slimming aids grew by 6.2 per cent over this period to reach £102m.

The main grocery multiples have responded to consumer demand for low-calorie foods by stocking a broad range of products. The estimated retail distribution of reduced calorie foods has climbed by more than 10 per cent from 2006 to reach £1.6bn.