Mainstream consumers are steadily adopting stronger environmental and sustainable ideals, which is affecting how they make purchase decisions. They are becoming less tolerant of chemicals in agriculture and in products they use. They are even taking small steps to integrate protection of planetary health into their daily lives, such as taking a bag to the grocery store and turning off lights. Consumers are also requiring more transparency of companies to understand what the food industry is doing to help the environment. They also examine the social responsibility of brands toward farmers and third-world countries. Shoppers have indicated they will communicate through their spending dollars.
It is no surprise that consumers now regularly question how and where ingredients are grown and how a product is processed and brought to market. In fact, consumers, especially younger consumers, are adopting more sustainable attitudes regarding their purchases. They are looking for options that take into consideration both personal and planetary health, including organic farming, fewer hormones and antibiotics, less animal cruelty, fair trade practices, and fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Further proof of this growing sustainable movement is the substantial growth in importance placed on ethical and sustainable food attributes.