Consumer attitudes key in health and wellness segment

Research by DuPont Nutrition & Health has identified six core consumer groups according to health and wellness attitudes.

The research was based on data collected from more than 14,000 consumers across 22 countries and is designed to help manufacturers develop and market products related to health and wellness, a category growing nearly twice the rate of traditional foods and beverages.

In addition to demographic and geographic data, the study includes information on health concerns, brand influences, attitudes and usage, lifestyle choices and parenting style, with the final segmentation resulting in six core consumer groups:

1. Health Helpers. This segment represents 9% of consumers. Top health concerns include tiredness and muscle tone and they are more likely than the average consumer to sacrifice taste and convenience — and pay a premium — for foods with health benefits.

2. Weight Strugglers. 12% of consumers are weight strugglers who want products that help them to lose weight and avoid food-related guilt. As well as obesity, their major health concerns include tiredness and heart disease, and they are slightly more likely than the average consumer to pay more for foods with health benefits.

3. Health Wise. The single largest segment (28%), health-wise consumers learn about healthy foods that will make them feel well and perform at their peak. This is the group that is most likely to sacrifice taste and convenience for health benefits and is most likely to be vegetarian. Top health concerns include tiredness and stress and they are more inclined than the average consumer to seek ‘free from’ labels and look for familiar ingredients.

4. Taste Driven. 19% of us want tasty, convenient food that fits into our busy lives.

5. Good Life. The palate comes first for 9% of consumers, who like to eat healthily as long as it tastes good and don’t mind paying a little more for the privilege.

6. Just Food. The remaining 23% don’t understand what all the fuss is about. They just want easy, cost-effective food.

“83% of global consumers consider diet and nutrition important to wellbeing, which is greater than wealth or physical fitness,” said Greg Paul, global marketing director, Consumer Segments at DuPont Nutrition & Health. “We have become increasingly proactive about our health, yet well-defined and decidedly varied segments still exist. Consumers portray diverse behaviour depending on their place in the spectrum of health and wellness. The importance of learning the demands of each segment is critical to understanding what motivates food purchase behaviour.”