The Hartman Group and ACNielsen recently identified several consumer trends affecting behaviors toward health and wellness foods. They include:

Balance will deepen among consumers as a dominant health and wellness ideology.

Consumers are exhibiting a declining reliance on external sources of authority.

Consumers will seek symbolic and practical expressions of simplicity.

Vitality will increase in importance as a measure of overall health and wellness.

Mobility will continue to be demanded by consumers for all eating occasions.

Increasingly, consumers will rely on authenticity to gauge value.

Self-diagnosis of health conditions and symptoms will grow, and will affect consumption behaviors.

Perceptions of freshness will grow as a primary driver of consumer behavior at grocery.

Consumers will work to reclaim control of their diets and daily food intake.

Consumers are seeking customized food and beverage solutions.