Millennials eat differently
You are what you eat! Do what you love.
Expensive superfood and frozen pizza
“Generations Y and Z really don’t make things easy for food producers and the gastronomy trade. They feed themselves according to the situation and fluctuate with ease between expensive superfood and fast foods like frozen pizza,” says millennials expert Ingo Schäfer from Roman Klis Design. “However, one thing is certain: the older they get, the more attention they pay to ingredients, origin, carbon footprint and animal husbandry and they prefer organic quality, even if it is more expensive.”
Slightly confused by all these letters? We resolve:
- Generation X: 1961 – 1980
- Generation Y: 1981 – 1995
- Generation Z: born after 1995
Self-realisation is more important than income
Nowadays purchase decisions are made in a completely different way. 70% of product choices are made at the store shelf. Consequently, storytelling, packaging, aesthetics and haptics play a more important role. The visual culture has changed and the digital language sounds completely different. High-gloss and luxury are dwindling in significance. Differentiation is not based on ownership or income, but on lifestyle, freedom and self-realisation.
Authentic is more important than perfect
When it comes to food or consumer goods, Generations Y and Z set great store by authenticity, naturalness and sustainability. Transparency is very important, too, because millennials want to know who is behind the product. Start-ups, intrepid inventors and innovative creatives frequently have a greater influence than polished marketing concepts that often appear artificial. “Loud” campaigns in the style of “WE are the greatest – you MUST buy us” also often fail to set the right tone when it comes to millennials.
Alternative nutrition trends
Everyone is talking about it, yet still only around 5% of the Swiss population do not eat any meat at all. However, this now looks set to change. Among millennials, awareness of animal welfare and concern for our planet is very much in evidence. The trends towards alternative nutrition are experiencing a real boom: on the one hand, the great demand for organic quality by those who consume meat in a conscious manner, and on the other, the shift towards vegetarian or vegan food.
Those who risk the test on Instagram win
While baby boomers and Generation X still orient themselves according to the experiences of the older generation, millennials form their opinion primarily through Social Network and seek advice and tips on YouTube. They check online what is healthy and on-trend. However, this does not mean that they distance themselves from their parents; on the contrary, as a rule, they maintain a very friendly relationship with their family. The ultimate test for manufacturers is to ask Y or Z consumers if they would post a picture of themselves together with the product on Instagram … a sure-fire way of finding out it they are on the right track or not.
