Sustainable food: Indians are outpacing the developed world in adopting healthy eating habits, says a new report

India is striving for planet-friendly food more than the developed countries, French food services company Sodexo revealed in its Sustainable Food Barometer survey. However, price remains the number one factor in choosing food products, far ahead of environmental concerns. Taste ranks just behind price as a key factor in making food choices.

The study, which surveyed over 7,000 participants from five key countries, aims to identify the key drivers of change and the barriers to adopting sustainable eating habits. It showcases the food services industry as a key driver of sustainable trends and a catalyst for inspiring change. India’s inclusion in this study for the first time highlights its prominence and growth as a major market for sustainable and plant-based food.

The report, which also includes insights from over 2,000 Indian consumers, reveal that over two-thirds of Indians express a strong favourability towards sustainable food consumption, outpacing their counterparts in developed countries. This shift is expected to drive the demand for sustainable food in the country and has the potential to reshape India’s food consumption trends.

Sambit Sahu, Managing Director, Sodexo India says that India’s desire for healthier eating habits is driven by a host of factors. “The first is increased access to information about lifestyle-led health concerns enabled by social media platforms, health blogs and fitness influencers. Millennials are far more aware and hence attentive towards their food choices. Another key influence is India’s growing integration into the global food market. Indians are embracing global trends such as veganism, plant-based, gluten-free, low-carb, keto and intermittent fasting as part of the modern, health-focused lifestyle.”

Some of the key India-specific insights from Sodexo Sustainability Barometer also revealed that millennials are leading the charge for sustainable food choices in India. “As many as 60% in India, specifically millennials (aged 25 to 44), remain committed to sustainable food choices with a majority of them already adopting many sustainable practices in their daily lives. GenZs (aged less than 25) remain indecisive towards sustainable food choices,” it stated.

Delving into the millennial mindset, Sahu adds that millennials are more inclined to make choices that have a positive impact on themselves, along with social and environmental impact. “Besides this, higher disposable incomes make it easy for them to prioritize healthy and balanced food, ethical consumption, supporting brands and causes that align with their values, over affordability and price.”The results also highlighted that health and a balanced diet are among the top three factors influencing food choices for Indians. Nutritional value and product composition, it stated, are the third and fourth most important factors in the decision-making process. Sahu states that Sodexo is contributing to such sustainable food trends by influencing consumer choices positively. Some of the practices undertaken include promoting local food products and sustainable agricultural methods to create foods that are delicious as well as nutritious. “We work with farmer communities, NGOs and SMEs to source and offer them sustainable livelihoods. By combining this with the expertise of chefs and nutritionists, Sodexo creates meals that deliver maximum health benefits while pleasing the palate,” Sahu says.

Through WasteWatch, the company actively measures, tracks and reduces food waste by involving both consumers and food service teams in the reduction process. It also focuses on education through innovative approaches, such as using traffic light symbols to indicate the nutritional value of meals, guiding consumers to make informed and healthy food choices.

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