Americans Less Satisfied With Packaged Food

Nevin Barich

LOS ANGELES , November 7, 2017 (Off The Menu) – In the 1980s and 1990s, the U.S. packaged food industry was in its heyday. No one was worried about the quality of these food items or the ingredients they contained because they focused more on things like fat and calories. Consumers weren’t reading food labels as closely back then. They were just focusing on a few specific numbers.

Of course, times have changed. Consumers today look at much more than the amount of fat and calories when looking at a packaged food product. They’re looking at the specific ingredients list, whether it’s organic or contain GMOs, checking for allergens, and a whole other host of things that weren’t on their radar screens 20 and 30 years ago.

So it shouldn’t be surprising to hear that according to a nondurable products report by the American Customer Satisfaction Index that customer satisfaction is down 2.4% to a score of 81 on a 100-point scale. Waning customer satisfaction with packaged food is the result of a growing demand for higher quality, fresh, natural and organic products, according to the report.

"Buyers are looking for healthier options, but the definition of 'healthy' varies so widely now," said Claes Fornell, ACSI Chairman and founder. "In the 90s, it was all about 'low-fat,' but now it can be many things — sugar, protein, carbs, GMOs, artificial ingredients, allergens, gluten, organic, sustainability — you name it. The market is much more fragmented."

The challenge becomes more difficult when you factor in the consumers who are hesitant to change, said David VanAmburg, ACSI managing director.

"There are also large groups of consumers who are resistant to change and more sensitive to price," VanAmburg said. "It's particularly challenging for major manufacturers to pivot toward the 'clean eating' trend without upsetting customers who were loyal to their original products."

Packaged food still has a large place in U.S. diets. But a tough road for the industry lies ahead.

Nevin Barich is the Food and Beverage Analyst for Industry Intelligence and is also Menuism’s fast food expert. Email him at Nevin.Barich@industryintel.com or follow him on Twitter.

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