This was revealed by a joint study by AstraRicerche and Unione Italiana Food conducted on a sample of 1200 subjects chosen from regular consumers and non-consumers of plant-based products. With proteins fast becoming the cornerstone of various new dietary approaches, new horizons have opened up in the  market to offer  a variety of foods built on plant-based ingredients, alongside conventional animal products.

Among the new challenges the food industry is facing, one that stands out in particular is the interest in developing products that meet the increasingly sophisticated needs and desires relating to the healthiness of foods. Indeed, 75% of those interviewed demonstrated a high level of knowledge about the ingredients that go into the products they purchase, while 23% have at least partial awareness of this information.

Businesses are therefore concentrating on two strategic aspects, namely, R&D activities focusing on developing increasingly attractive products for conscious and attentive consumers and the importance of  labelling, as a fundamental means of communicating with the consumer and better conveying the qualities of their products  from a marketing perspective.

Foodweb discusses the topic at length in an in-depth article. Click here.