Generation Z consumers are more concerned about the sustainability credentials of F&B products than Baby Boomers and find vegetarian and vegan products more appealing, new research has revealed. 

According to a survey of 1,000 American and British consumers carried out by PR company Ingredient Communications, one-third of 18-25 year-olds (34 percent) said they consider it “very important” that a product is made sustainably. This compared with just 18 percent of those aged 65 and over.

Vegan appeals to the young 
Meanwhile, 38 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds said they find vegetarian claims on products to be “very appealing,” and 33 percent said they feel the same way about vegan claims. 

However, only 6 percent of respondents aged over 65 said they find vegetarian claims “very appealing” and just 3 percent said the same about vegan claims.

It’s not only on environmental and ethical issues that the two generations differ. The youngest consumers are much more price sensitive.

Paying for premium? 
In the survey, 29 percent of respondents aged 18-24 said it is “very important” that a product is the cheapest available, while only 3 percent of people aged over 65 agreed. 

However, consumers aged 18-24 are much more willing to pay extra for a product that is made entirely with ingredients they recognize, with 67 percent saying they’d do so. 

By contrast, only 27 percent of those aged over 65 would pay more.

“It’s no surprise that younger and older consumers see the world differently. But this survey sheds light on how their views diverge in the F&B sector,” says Richard Clarke, managing director of Ingredient Communications.

“These insights highlight the importance of aligning product development and marketing with the worldview of your target consumer demographic. While there will be common ground between generations, the areas of disagreement can be quite striking – and this means a one-size-fits-all approach is risky,” he notes. 

The research, conducted by SurveyGoo in September, also found that the youngest shoppers have the strongest feelings against Genetically modified organisms (GMO) ingredients. 

Two in five consumers (39 percent) said that a GMO-free product is likely to be “very healthy,” compared with just 14 percent of over 65s.

In addition, while nearly four in ten (38 percent) of 18 to 24-year-olds believe that the label claim “gluten-free” is a sign that a product is “very healthy,” only 6 percent of Boomers hold this view. 

Accordingly, 31 percent of 18-24s said they find a gluten-free claim on a product to be “very appealing” compared with 8 percent of consumers of the age of 65.