DELICIOUS
BUT IS IT POLLUTED?
As global pollution levels
rise, consumers are
increasingly concerned
about air toxicity. Just last
October, it was reported
that Los Angeles had suffered its worst
smog season in at least 13 years. This
local and worldwide fear is spurring
a wave of research — much of it coming
out of the US — and product innovation
across the food and drink landscape,
as well as other industries such as
beauty, fashion and homewares. While
this innovation is in its infancy, grocery
brands globally have an opportunity to
help counterbalance the harmful effects
of poor air quality and win consumers in
68 SEPTEMBER 2018
the process.
The impact of pollution on food sources
isn’t a new conversation — Chinese
scientists have warned for some time
now that air pollution in China may
impede photosynthesis, compromising
the quality of China’s soil and water and,
ultimately, the country’s food supply. But
as consumers become more aware of
the physical and broader environmental
consequences of industrialisation, the
topic is gaining further momentum.
And this is already being reflected in
internet searches. According to data
from Nissan, internet searches for ‘best
air purifier’ and ‘air-quality index’ rose
by more than 750% from 2006 to 2016.
Family by family, city by city, generation
by generation, the clean food movement
is transforming not only the business
of food but also the culture of eating.
Today’s switched-on consumers seek
identifiable, natural and healthier
ingredients with attributes such as
‘natural’, ‘clean’, ‘transparent’ and
‘ethically sourced’, which becoming
must-have credentials.
However, with air pollution threatening
the quality of life in many major
cities and causing 6.5 million deaths
globally (according to the World
Health Organization), health-conscious
consumers are demanding that their
food classifications go further to the
point that they are also pollutant-free.
An early-adopter in this field Swedish
supermarket chain ICA already enables
consumers to make sustainable
choices via its climate-guided recipe
initiative. Shoppers can access a
climate guide for select recipes on the
brand’s website, where recipes are
marked with one, two or three leaves
to symbolise how ‘friendly’ they are
from a climate perspective, enabling
consumers to make informed decisions.
CLEAN
Food and beverage brands have a chance
to respond to consumer demand for
cleaner, functional products while helping
reduce global pollution at the same time,
US global innovation researcher and
advisor Mandy Saven says.
AND
According
to data from
Nissan, internet
searches
for ‘best air
purifier’ and
‘air-quality
index’ rose by
more than 750%
from 2006 to
2016.