Bridging the 'say-do' gap
Turning the best of intentions into healthier habits
The aspiration to eat healthily is widespread, yet the journey from intent to action is filled with obstacles. Shoppers frequently favour freshly cooked meals over processed options — 78% globally claim to do so — but the reality is more nuanced, particularly in certain regions. In Latin America, 79% of people say they prefer cooking fresh meals, yet there are significant disparities within countries, ranging from 85% in Chile and Colombia to just 57% in Brazil. Meanwhile, in North America, only 59% express this preference. Whatever the number, the desire is there, but the ability to make this aspiration a consistent reality is hampered by multiple factors.
As we’ve seen earlier in this report, one of the biggest challenges in closing the say-do gap around healthy eating is the allure of processed foods and products high in sugar. People want to put healthier things in their bodies, but their words speak louder than their actions. For many, the idea of a balanced diet remains more of a goal than a lived reality.
Well-established brands are increasingly responding by bringing products to market with lower levels of fat, sugar, and salt.
High product penetration numbers in categories that typically offer less healthy choices are a clear demonstration of the say-do gap. We see some of the fastest growing categories in FMCG are still in typically less healthy areas of consumption, such as savoury snacks (penetration has increased by 2.3 points in 2023 vs 2022) and energy drinks (penetration has increased by 1.2 points in 2023 vs 2022).
But even in these categories, newcomers and incumbents are finding healthier alternatives that contribute to category growth. In the UK, PerfectTed, a winner of the Dragon’s Den television programme, offers a matcha energy drink that is finding ground in this crowded category. One of the brand’s founders spoke to us in a recent Kantar podcast.
Well-established brands are also increasingly responding by bringing products to market with lower levels of fat, sugar, and salt. However, it is taking time as changing demands are balanced against revenue from existing offerings.
PepsiCo was one of the latest to make changes. It came in the UK, with a reimagination of its flagship Doritos product. The recalibrated product is lower in fat and salt but billed as “crunchier”. The result is a healthier product, but it also frees the brand up to be promoted again in high-traffic areas of stores — something limited for the previous formulation under government restrictions on how and where products deemed high in fat, sugar, and salt could be sold. We expect others to follow in the race to get back on aisle-ends and other high-visibility areas of stores.
Meanwhile, cost remains a major barrier to making healthier choices. Healthy eating can feel unattainably expensive for many households — 52% of people cite the high cost of healthier options as the main reason they aren't buying them. This barrier is compounded by a lack of trust and confusion about what constitutes truly healthy packaged foods. 32% say they don't trust that these foods are as healthy as they claim, and 27% say they are confused by labelling, indicating a need for brands to be more transparent and straightforward in their messaging. Shoppers want to make healthier choices, but affordability, accessibility, and clarity are essential to close this gap.
