Kearney 2022 Earth Day Study Explores Climate Impact of Food Choices, and Measures Consumer Willingness to Make Climate-Directed Food Choices

- 83% of survey respondents willing to substitute beef at least once a week

- Omnivores' interest in purchasing plant-based alternatives is cooling off

- Food companies mobilizing now will win the future of food 

CHICAGO, April 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, global management consulting firm Kearney released its 2022 Earth Day Survey. The report looks into the climate impact of consumer food-purchasing choices and measures consumer momentum toward "climavorism," the making of mindful food purchasing and consumption choices based on their impact on climate and the larger environment. This year's Earth Day Survey polled 1,000 U.S. consumers on their awareness of, and attitudes toward, the relationship between their eating preferences and the climate crisis, and found a measurable shift in consumer awareness of the environmental impact of their food-buying choices.

"Daily food choice is a call to action for consumers keen to make a positive impact on climate outcomes, with nearly one-third of consumers in our survey considering environmental impact at the grocery store," said Corey Chafin, Associate Partner in Kearney's consumer practice, and the study's principal author.

The study found the three largest drivers of respondents' food purchasing choices were Access (the ability to find and prepare food), Culture (taste preferences and familiar connection to foods), and Hunger (the desire to eat immediately). "We are entering into a new era of climate-conscious eating – giving rise to the Climavores – with 80% of consumers indicating at least some awareness of the connection between food choice and the environment," Chafin said.

Kearney looked at respondents' self-reported buying behavior across three channels – grocery, foodservice, and online ordering. Taste and Cost were the Number One and Two largest considerations, with Cost leading respondent purchases online and in-store and Taste capturing the top slot for restaurant purchases.

The study concludes consumer packaged good manufacturers and other food processors need to pay attention to the growing Climavore consumer segment for two reasons. First, it is clearly building momentum. Second, since food production is the second-largest source of adverse climate change, things have to change if manufacturers have any hope of hitting their Green House Gas (GHG) emission targets, before those voluntary targets become mandates.

"Food companies must add 'Climate Impact' to their product re-formulation and design-to-value campaigns to prepare for the rise of the Climavore consumer," Chafin said. But the study also surfaces several major caveats for branders.

Climate-conscious foods which reduce GHG must taste good and be on a par with or below the market cost of products with larger carbon footprints. Chafin also points to declining interest in plant-based foods and respondents' concerns about being identified as vegans or vegetarians. "Consumers have become alienated by the binary Omnivore/Vegetarian thinking and plant-based burger craze," he said. "Instead we should focus on climate-conscious food choices of any type – for example, trading chicken for beef on a per lb. basis reduces GHG emissions by 90%."

A copy of Dawn of the Climavores is available at this link.

About Kearney

As a global consulting partnership in more than 40 countries, our people make us who we are. We're individuals who take as much joy from those we work with as the work itself. Driven to be the difference between a big idea and making it happen, we help our clients break through. Learn more at Kearney.com.

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SOURCE Kearney