With more Gen Z consumers influencing the market, poultry and other food producers are looking for ways to attract Gen Z to their products. One key way to reach Gen Z is understanding the relationship between mental health and food, according to the Center for Food Integrity (CFI).
According to CFI, 68% of Gen Z surveyed said that what they eat is tied to their identity, versus Boomers at 43%, making it more important than ever for brands to identify with this generation.
“They [Gen Z] want to prove they can express their true selves no matter the cost,” said Roxi Beck, CFI’s director of consumer engagement.
And after spending a bit of time on social media, it is clear that mental health is a top priority for Generation Z, whose adults are approximately 18-26, and, in this case, mental health’s relationship with food.
Gen Z is rejecting mindsets about food that lead to eating disorders like following restrictive diets and associating food with guilt and shame. They are looking for a balance between maximizing nutrition while still allowing snacking and sweets – no longer labeling food as good or bad.
Gen Z is also looking for value-added foods like no artificial ingredients or additives and sustainable processing with more than 50% of consumers reading nutrition labels, according to CFI.
Climate change has also affected Gen Z’s mental health with 68% of survey respondents having been directly impacted by severe weather and 32% saying climate change impacts their food purchasing decisions, versus Boomers at 17%.
Gen Z consumers are asking themselves how their buying decisions can support good in the world, said Beck.
The best way to gain Gen Z’s attention is through transparency and building trust, primarily through social media, as more than half of Gen Z survey respondents spend time on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram at least once a day, according to CFI.
Brands can identify and connect with Gen Z through digital content like Youtube videos, virtual tours or even working with social media influencers, said Beck, with 79% of survey respondents purchasing based on influencer recommendations.
