In the post-pandemic world, consumers will be looking for brands that build trust and shopper confidence through transparency that reaches beyond the nutrition label to demonstrate sustainable and ethical business practices.
Product transparency is the top-ranking trend of 2021 according to a study from Innova Market Insights; 85% of respondents say that knowing what’s going into their food is of major importance to them, and 6 out of 10 say they are interested in knowing where their food comes from and how it’s made. According to a study from Sprout Social, 86% of Americans say that transparency from business is more important than ever before.
Connecting with post-pandemic consumers will require gaining their trust and speaking directly to their concerns.
Over the past year and a half, consumers have increased focus on their own personal health and the health of the environment. They are cooking more meals at home, and reading labels to find out what’s in the food they purchase. However, ingredient transparency is no longer enough.
Shoppers are placing orders and going to the grocery store with a greater sense of connectedness to society and the world at large. They want to see transparency in the supply chain and support companies whose business purposes embrace a value for sustainability and ethical practices. This need for transparency is especially relevant to the fresh produce companies as the industry’s estimated 425,000 farmworkers became visible during the pandemic as essential workers and food heroes deserving the protection of ethical working conditions.
Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) builds transparency into certified farming operations in ways that will matter most to post-pandemic consumers. EFI’s rigorous standards guarantee growers can give total assurance to consumers and retail buyers that products are produced responsibly and sustainably with fair working conditions and an ethical supply chain.
Operations that invest in workforce development through EFI can benefit employees – by creating work atmospheres of respect and collaboration – and the business – by elevating the value of the end product and showing consumers and retailers that the brand is trustworthy.
It can be expected that post-pandemic consumers will support brands and products that align with their values. According to PWC’s The Future of Consumer Markets report, over a third of consumers are willing to pay more for ethical and sustainable options. Sprout Social found that 73% of consumers are willing to pay more for products that guarantee total transparency, and 85% are more likely to give a business a second chance after a bad experience – and stick by it during a crisis – if it has a history of being transparent.
The measures fresh produce companies take to ensure transparency in ingredients, sourcing and business purpose today pave the way for a loyal customer base through the next crisis and a more resilient supply chain going into the future.
Find out more about how EFI helps fresh produce companies create a more transparent food chain, safer food and healthier places to work.
