When it comes to food, animal welfare, regionality and the EU organic seal are becoming more important to consumers, according to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. The minister warns against increasingly aggressive debates.
Consumers in Germany want less sugar in food and more transparency about ingredients and production – but above all, good taste. According to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, buyers are paying more attention to animal welfare, regionality and the EU organic seal than in previous years. This is the result of the new nutrition report “Germany, how it eats”, which Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir recently presented in Berlin.
The Green politician warned against culturally combative debates and an increasingly aggressive tone in the argument about food. “The largest growing area is not vegetarian-vegan, but rather the so-called flexitarians, who are simply either temporarily vegetarians or say, I’m reducing my meat consumption and eating meat consciously and then perhaps ideally also paying attention to where the meat comes from,” said Özdemir. “And that’s a huge market.”
When it comes to sugar, only six percent want no change
According to the report, which has been published annually since 2015, many foods can “taste a little less sweet”: More than four fifths of those surveyed (85 percent) are in favor of less sugar being added to ready-made foods. Seven percent believe that the lack of sweetness should be compensated for by sweeteners – which are almost or completely calorie-free. Six percent do not want any changes.
“We know that, for example, soft drinks of the exact same brand have different recipes and sugar content in different countries and they don’t sell any worse there,” said Özdemir. “I don’t believe that the taste buds of Germans are completely different to those in Great Britain, for example.”
Özdemir: Citizens do not need to be lectured
The desire for more transparency must be taken into account, he stressed. “Our citizens decide for themselves how they eat, no one needs to lecture them or prescribe them.” People want “real freedom of choice, and we support that – based on valid data.”
For the nutrition report, the opinion research institute Forsa surveyed around 1,000 people in Germany aged 14 and over in May 2024. According to the ministry, almost twice as many people as in 2015 pay attention to the animal welfare label when shopping: their number has increased from 36 percent to 65 percent. For the EU organic seal, the proportion rose from 47 to 59 percent in the same period. At 39 percent, significantly more people also buy vegetarian or vegan alternatives to animal products more often. In 2020, this figure was 29 percent.
Above all, it has to taste good
For 99 percent of respondents, taste is – as in previous years – very important or important. This applies to all age groups and to men and women alike. In second place is that the food is healthy. This is (very) important to 91 percent. Women attach more importance to this (97 percent) than men (85 percent).
Around three quarters of those surveyed (77 percent) make sure that products come from their region, older people more than younger people. Among those over 60, 85 percent attach importance to regionality. Among 14 to 29 year olds, the figure is 60 percent.
However, purchasing decisions also depend on money. The youngest age group of those under 30 are more price-conscious in comparison: 71 percent say they pay attention to price when shopping. 51 percent of those over 60 say this. High approval ratings for goals such as sustainability and animal welfare are generally not reflected to the same extent at the shopping counter.
The report also looks at expectations of politics. 88 percent fully agree or somewhat agree with the statement that politicians should do more to promote species-appropriate animal husbandry. 75 percent believe that it is important for climate protection that less meat is consumed. 50 percent believe that restaurants and canteens offer too few dishes with or made from organic food.
Survey: Market share of foods considered healthy will increase
According to a representative survey by the auditing company PwC, the topic of nutrition and health will continue to gain importance among consumers. More and more people are opting for a conscious, healthy lifestyle that is also characterized by balanced eating. “In the food sector, the market share of products that are considered healthy will continue to increase until 2030,” said Christian Wulff, PwC’s trade and consumer expert.
According to Wulff, a generational change will take place in Germany by 2030: the baby boomer generation will leave the labor market, while Generation Z will enter working life. This will mean that other preferences will prevail in consumption, for example in relation to sustainability. According to the survey, four out of ten respondents currently say that they will shop more consciously in the future in order to reduce the impact of their consumption on climate change.
Source: Stern
