This document discusses perspectives on the Mediterranean diet from consumers in Britain. It finds that while many recognize aspects of the Mediterranean diet as healthy, such as eating olive oil and fruits/vegetables, less than half are familiar with the diet itself. Additionally, consumers see challenges with the diet as issues of time, expense, and access to ingredients. However, consumers appreciate the pragmatism and simplicity of the Mediterranean diet. The document suggests promoting the diet by relating its benefits to consumers' lives, needs and challenges through convenient products and education.

1. THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET
– THE CONSUMER PERSPECTIVE
1

2. In Great
Britain
23 adults
in 100
are
obese
2

3. In the US
34 adults
in 100
are
obese
3

4. Globally,
more
people now
die of
obesity
than
malnutrition
4

5. Half of
people
globally think
governments
SHOULD NOT
get involved in
what people
choose to eat
Source: Ipsos Global @dvisor, November 2011 5

6. BUT 88%
think
governments
should make
companies
PROMOTE
healthy
choices Source: Ipsos Global @dvisor, November 2011 6

7. THE MED DIET
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8. APPROACH
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9. 42 %
Had not heard
of the Med
Diet?

10. Yet they recognize
some of the
of healthy eating

11. ‘Eating a broad variety of foods is important for our health’
‘People who live in the UK don’t eat enough fruit and vegetables’
‘Olive oil is the healthiest oil’
‘Mediterranean people live longer
because they have a healthy diet’
‘Naturally colourful food is usually
healthy’
‘Eating red meat every day is essential to
good health’
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12. But they
relate
those concepts
to the Med Diet

13. Diets aren’t for
me, I’m more
about a healthy
lifestyle
A diet rich in
fruit and veg
is best
Olive oil is
actually good
for you

14. There’s no disputing the
science behind the Med
Diet, there’s just little
recognition of

15. PLAY FILM
Med Diet
http://vimeo.com/43849633
Password: ipsosmori
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16. CHALLENGES OF THE
MED DIET
16

17. So WHY
isn’t everyone doing
the Med Diet?

18. CHALLENGES
Time Expense
Access to Know how
ingredients to cook
TIME
18

19. This mirrors broader food and
nutrition trends...

20. Driven by time pressures and increasingly fragmented
lifestyles, a marked difference between
“cooking”
and
“preparation”
is emerging in the approach consumers are taking.

21. In saying this, there was a sense of
appreciation for the pragmatism and
simplicity of the Med diet

22. Sometimes life is so busy its nice to be
told what to do, the Med Diet doesn't enforce
points and regimes, more guidelines and that is
why it works for me, its not rigid.
- Andrew
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23. HOW TO PROMOTE
THE MED DIET?
23

24. FOR THOSE THAT HAVE HEARD OF THE MED
DIET, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF KEY FOOD
GROUPS THAT RESONATE
24

25. MED DIET ASSOCIATIONS
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26. And evidence shows that
if consumers ‘know’
about the diet they are
more likely to
the benefits
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27. AWARENESS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET BUILDS ON
HEALTH PERCEPTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE TYPES
OF FOOD.
% difference in agreement between recognisers and non recognisers
0 10 20 30
Mediterranean people live longer because they have a healthy diet
Red wine is better for your health than white wine
Drinking wine with food is better for your health than drinking wine on its
own
Naturally colourful food is usually healthy
Olive oil is the healthiest oil
People who live in the UK don’t eat enough fruit and vegetables
The British Government should encourage food manufacturers to sell
more healthy foods
The British Government should encourage the public to eat foods that
are healthy
Eating a broad variety of foods is important for our health
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28. How do we overcome
the challenges?
How can we guide
manufacturers in
leveraging the Med
Diet?
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29. RELATE IT TO PEOPLE’S LIVES
Barrier Need Features
Understanding Relating a Key product
the barriers to barrier to a features should
engaging in the particular need relate to specific
Med Diet tells allows you to triggers/
you what think about how challenges
barriers exist to to delight
people are consumers
buying health
related products
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30. Long Term Benefit – Short Term Delight
Consumer Delight Features , benefits, products
Challenges
Consumers feel like they’re cooking
a ‘proper’ meal, without it taking too
Time long or without a large investment
Quick, convenient and accessible
of time
Consumers want to use products/
produce that are high quality, but Affordable but high quality, in
without feeling like it costs more smaller quantities, value for
Expense than other average household goods money, relate to secondary
benefits (e.g.time saving)
Consumers want to use fresh, local
Access to and natural ingredients that allow Local, fresh, natural, home
delivery, bundling
them to bring together recipes
ingredients
Consumers want to cook from
scratch and learn about new recipes
Know how to and new types of food
Easy to prepare yet interesting
and exciting ; assembly vs design
cook vs creation

31. Emerging trend “assembly cooking” –
preparation of basic convenience food
enhanced by added personalised
ingredients to elevate it above a basic level
– closer to the consumers perception of
proper cooked food

32. MED DIET FOOD KITS
Home delivery of local fresh produce – tailored to the Med Diet
& supported by other activities – e.g. recipes, menu planning,
on-line communities
Co-sponsored events – health clubs, local sporting teams, local
restaurants, on-pack offers
Med Diet App – link this to shopping lists and home delivery
In store – e.g. Stir Fry aisle, Olive oil near exotic breads, fresh
produce layout, bundling, events
Product labelling – med diet specific
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33. OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND...
Majority usage The Med Diet Opportunity
One portion In excess of Increase
every 3-7 days 30mls per day awareness of
usage situations
One portion 1 portion every Suggest cheaper more
per week 1-3 days sustainable alternatives
and promote ease of
cooking
Suggest more
One portion Mediterranean
every two to 2 portions /day recipes with these
three days ingredients?
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34. Thank-you
Victoria Guyatt Richard Boyko
Deputy Head of Ethnography Senior Director, Innovation and Forecasting
victoria.guyatt@ipsos.com richard.boyko@ipsos.com
+44 20 3059 5365 +44 20 8080 6145
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