Lockdown restrictions have led to “significant changes” in the UK’s consumption habits, according to new research from Olam Cocoa. Rather than reaching for old favorites, more people are turning to healthier snacks and plant-based foods – many for the first time.

“Our research suggests consumers’ priorities on how they spend their money are shifting,” Wouter Stomph, product development and innovation expert at Olam Cocoa, tells FoodIngredientsFirst. 

“This growing awareness of the health benefits of food is a major driver in the rise in demand for plant-based foods: nearly half of those opting for more plant-based foods said health concerns were the number one reason for this shift,” he explains.

The research also uncovered some further shifts in consumers’ priorities, including ingredient provenance and environmental concerns.

“We see a growing focus on quality and health, particularly among the younger generation. Thirty-nine percent of those aged 18 to 34 told us that since restrictions began, they are looking for food made from higher quality ingredients,” Stomph notes. 

Further, 45 percent of consumers cited environmental concerns as a reason for buying more plant-based foods, suggesting consumers are increasingly looking for products that are kinder to the planet.

“While the appetite for chocolate and other indulgent snacks remains as strong as ever, consumers want those treats to be a little better for them. The growing interest in plant-based and dairy-free foods is especially exciting. Still, to seize the market opportunity, food manufacturers will have to innovate fast to make these products more widely available and make sure their taste and texture pass muster with their discerning consumers,” says Stomph.

Indulgence boosts mood
Moreover, more than half of respondents (55 percent) say an indulgent treat has helped boost their mood during lockdown, and four in 10 (39 percent) admit to snacking more frequently since COVID-19 restrictions began. 

But a third (36 percent) also say they have become more health-conscious since the start of the pandemic and 22 percent of consumers say they look for confectionery, bakery or snacks with low sugar, salt or fat. 

This is especially true of younger people aged 18 to 34, who are both the biggest snackers and the most likely to have become more concerned about their health since the start of lockdown (45 percent).

One consequence of this is an unexpected boom in plant-based foods. One in five consumers (22 percent) say they have consumed more plant-based products since the start of lockdown – rising to 37 percent among 18 to 34 year-olds – and 45 percent are open to trying them. 

Health concerns were the number one reason (48 percent), followed by the environment (45 percent). only 8 percent of male consumers say they always purchased plant-based food pre-lockdown. Yet, many more – almost a third (31 percent) – say they have purchased dairy-free alternatives since lockdown restrictions were first introduced.

Barriers remain in dairy alternatives space 
Milk alternatives were the most popular plant-based purchase, with almost half of respondents (44 percent) saying they had bought one during lockdown. 

Plant-based converts were most excited to try dairy-free ice cream, with dairy-free chocolate not far behind. But although the appetite is there, barriers remain, says Olam Cocoa. 

While price remains the most significant deterrent to purchasing plant-based food, the research also revealed that concerns about taste, texture and limited ranges were still putting some consumers off from adding dairy-free alternatives to their baskets.

“The challenge with creating dairy-free ice cream is ensuring that consumers are not missing out on the creamy, indulgent texture of an ice cream made with dairy,” Stomph notes. 

Cocoa ingredients can play a crucial role here, he urges. “Our innovation team has been working closely with certain customers to replicate some of the taste and texture consumers enjoy, using cocoa powders to add flavor and cocoa butters to add creaminess to plant-based ice creams.” 

However, there is a considerable variation with milk alternatives, he says. “For example, one [kind of] almond milk will not always behave in the same way as another almond milk when used in the same application. This means matching ingredients like cocoa with plant-based milk can be tricky, and it can take time to find the ideal milk and cocoa pairing.”

“We’ve spent the past year developing a tool that helps categorize alternative milks by their flavor attributes to find the perfect cocoa powder to match them, which helps cut down on development times,” Stomph concludes.