Rediscovering health: Consumers are looking to boost their immune health in order to minimise their risk of vulnerability to disease and illness

Proportion of consumers in South Africa who say that they have become more conscious about their immune health as a result of COVID-19

51% 55% 73% 70%

April 2020 May 2020 July 2020 February 2021

Source: COVID-19 survey, Q1 2021 (1,000 respondents)

Proportion of consumers in South Africa who say that they will make greater efforts to stay healthier in the future as a result of COVID-19

77% 82% 85%

79%

April 2020 May 2020 July 2020 February 2021

Source: COVID-19 survey, Q1 2021 (1,000 respondents)

The power of plants: Consumers are switching to plant-based alternatives as they look to moderate their intake of meat and dairy products

Compared to regions such as Europe and North America, meat and dairy consumption per capita is noticeably lower in Africa and the Middle East. This can be attributed to a variety of factors ranging from affordability to religious issues. Irrespective, consumers in the region are still following the worldwide trend of looking to moderate or eliminate meat and dairy from their diets and replace these offerings with plantbased alternatives.

Consumers are becoming more concerned about the environment and what factors may be contributing to environmental damage. This is resulting in consumers becoming more conscious about cattle farming because of issues such as levels of carbon emission. In the wake of COVID-19, consumers have also become more conscious about animal welfare initiatives. Meat and dairy are also two product categories that are associated with health problems. For instance, dairy intake can be associated with dietary evils such as fat and sugar. Meanwhile, excessive meat intake is associated with problems such as hypertension. As consumers look to improve their diets, a growing number are seeking out plant-based alternatives.

It must be remembered that despite their best intentions, consumers can often struggle to stick to betterfor-you dietary plans in the long-term. This is a reason why the prevalence of lifestyle-related health problems such as obesity, continue to grow in the region despite a greater number of people saying that they are committed to improving their eating and drinking habits. Some consumers can express concerns about the taste and texture of plant-based products and, irrespective of concerns over health and sustainability, are unwilling to compromise on sensory appeal in favour of these two issues. As such, it is important that plant-based alternatives are seen to mimic the animal produce from a taste, texture, and juiciness perspective.