Millennials are ‘the most health-conscious generation ever,’ says report by The Halo Group

By Adi Menayang

- Last updated on GMT

Photo: iStock/oneinchpunch
Photo: iStock/oneinchpunch

Related tags Vinegar Cider Brand management

From certification seals to romance text to website blog posts, many packaged food and beverage brands put a lot of thought (and resources) into creating convincing nutrition-related arguments to persuade buyers. But among Millennials, only 26% of them actually pay attention to these.

Secondary data collected by marketing firm The Halo Group​ found that 65% of Millennials will look to well-established nutritionists for information about their food, followed by 58% of dieticians, 57% family and friends, and 54% personal trainer.

It’s safe to say, Millennials are the most health-conscious generation, according to the report​, and it’s going to take more to sway them than just popular on-pack call-outs. “Millennials are turning to the Internet to educate themselves on functional ingredients and how to use them,” ​the report said.

Proving this point, the report cited data from Think with Google, which said that the top five videos on YouTube about ways to consume turmeric have a combined 3.9 million views​. Trailing behind that is apple cider vinegar, cauliflower rice, bone broth, and avocado oil.

It’s the back story

“Millennial consumers are less interested in calories, fat, sugar, and so on,” ​Mark Sutter, The Halo group’s chief branding officer, told FoodNavigator-USA. “[They] are more influenced by the brand story behind the products they are consuming. By focusing on aspects of the products identity—such as authenticity, origin, certification—millennials are buying into the brand story, not just the product.”

This approach is mirrored in Kashi’s cereal box design​, which was relaunched in July of 2016. It opted for a minimalist look, with editorial-like features on the back telling the stories of Kashi’s employees or farmers, as well as stories of the ingredients used in the products.

“For millennials, food is now viewed as an experience, a way to be adventurous while also using food to be social,”​ Sutter added. “In order to feel a true emotional connection, the brand identity must align with its consumer’s identity, making the consumer feel like they are part of the brand’s story rather than just a consumer of a product.”

Here's the infographic of the report, courtesy of The Halo Group:

MillennialInfo

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3 comments

Reply to David, picture update

Posted by Adi Menayang,

You're right--the people in the original picture looked much younger than Millennials. I've updated it.

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Picture is not of Millennials

Posted by David Rigg,

By any definition, the youngest Millennials are now in their very late twenties and the most common definition (born between 1980 and 1995) would mean a Millennial is 22-37 years old.

The picture in this article is clearly a group of "Centennial" or Gen Z girls. Additionally, the article cites Youtube research, which is dominated by the younger generation. They are likely to be very different than Millennials, so let's not blur the lines.

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Consultas de los millennials sobre alimentos saludables

Posted by Sonia Olivares, INTA Universidad de Chile,

Muy interesantes las referencias incluidas sobre la actitud de los jóvenes ante la alimentación saludable. Sería bueno contar con una traducción mejor y con algunas referencias posibles de citar en el mundo académico.

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