Healthy or indulgent – why not both?
The trend toward healthier eating continues to gain momentum due to the pandemic – yet interest in indulgent food and drinks has increased, too. Consumers are using treats to help fill the emotional void and compensate for the lack of socialization, while activities such as home baking have enjoyed a huge resurgence.
GlobalData’s Coronavirus Recovery Tracker shows 56% of shoppers worldwide either always or often base their purchase decisions on whether products are good for their health, while the same proportion makes choices based on enjoyment.
As a result, there is strong demand for ‘permissible indulgence.’ Traditionally, this has involved making treats more acceptable by adding health benefits – and nearly six in ten consumers worldwide say they are increasingly purchasing ‘healthier’ versions of indulgent products.
Going forward, a reverse process is expected to have a major impact too, with indulgent qualities being used to add treat value to inherently healthy product categories.
Healthier indulgence
To boost the appeal of products, some brands focus on “active health” claims such as vitamin fortification and protein content. “Passive health” claims, meanwhile, can have a huge impact on success – research shows 83% of European consumers find low-sugar claims (very) appealing, while 81% say the same for low-fat claims. Naturally, these claims influence their purchasing decisions too, with sugar being the most important claim followed by the fat content:
Nonetheless, enjoyment remains crucial, and creating indulgent products is all about offering exquisite taste, mouthfeel, and texture. While taste is often the focus, texture makes the difference between consumer acceptance and instant aversion. 50% of global consumers globally say “texture claims” influence their purchase decisions , while 74% agree that textures make food and drinks more indulgent.
Discover TEXTURA™ Tempo
PB Leiner's TEXTURA™ Tempo instant gelatin range for powder blends is a next-generation texturizer. It provides exceptional mouthfeel and excellent flavor release with endless indulgent texturizing possibilities, including creamy, fluffy, chewy, airy and silky.
It is ideal for creating premixes for baked goods, pastries, desserts, dairy, gummies and more – and offers a vast array of product benefits. It is a pure protein that supports clean and clear label declarations. It works at virtually any temperature, allowing for easy formulation with vitamins and minerals. Gelling is not dependent on sugar concentration, either, making it suitable for sugar-free products.
As well as supporting better-for-you claims in treats, TEXTURA™ Tempo can be used to add a sense of indulgence to healthy products such as low-fat desserts Its melting properties contribute to smoothness and create a fat-mimicking effect, providing a delicate texture, creamy mouthfeel, and attractive surface sheen.
To maximize product appeal in the modern market, brands need to deliver delicious treats with minimal guilt factor. TEXTURA™ Tempo makes it possible to cater to consumer demands with healthier products that deliver a true sense of indulgence.
References:
(1) GlobalData Coronavirus (COVID-19) Recovery Tracker Survey Week 7 (2020)
(2) Innova Market Insights 'Permissible Indulgence' (2020)
(3) GlobalData Global Consumer Survey (Q3 2021) [average of 19 European countries]
(4) Innova Trends Survey (2020)
(5) Innova Market Insights 'Permissible Indulgence' (2020)