VANCOUVER, BC — Plant-based goods company good natured Products recently released its Ready to Eat Report, which outlines trends in convenience eating and consumer behavior. The report’s findings were pulled from a July 2023 survey of 1,000 US adults between the ages of 18 and 64.
Even as the cost-of-living rises, consumers surveyed continue to prioritize convenience, with one in four respondents stating that shopping for ready-to-eat meals is less expensive than buying groceries.
“Convenience eating has always been a trend, but what’s changed is how people are consuming takeout meals,” said Paul Antoniadis, CEO of good natured. “What was once grabbing a pizza and bringing it home has turned into salad bars and grab-and-go lunches from the grocery store, takeout and quick service meal spots.”
The survey revealed that 72% of respondents are consistently buying or increasing their consumption of ready-to-eat meals, meal kits, and takeout food and delivery since the start of the year.
Of the ready-to-eat meals being purchased in stores, 35% of them are desserts. According to the survey, purchasing ready-to-eat meals reduces the amount of time spent cooking and cleaning, giving consumers more time to spend on family, friends and leisure activities.
Another key finding in the good natured report nods to increasing consumer interest in sustainable packaging. According to the company, 77% of survey respondents said eco-friendly packaging is important to them and 43% believe providing eco-friendly packaging to reduce the effects of climate change is a business’ responsibility.
Visit the good natured website for more on the report’s findings.
