As a baby boomer, I admit that I am a creature of habit. From what and where I eat to the type of beverage I purchase at my local Dunkin’ Donuts (hazelnut iced coffee), it seems I am not alone when it comes to brand loyalty.
The merging of health, wellness and digital technology also has taken over the media landscape. A Nielsen Insights notes than four in 10 U.S. households have someone in the household who suffers from a chronic disease, and these consumers are turning to foods and beverages to treat their conditions.
“Consumers’ focus on product transparency has resulted in the growth of clean-label products sold in stores,” it states. “Looking across the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) space, half of all shopping trips now include the purchase of a clean-label product, with millennials and Generation X consumers driving much of the sales growth we’re seeing.”
Because many consumers use social media to connect with brands and vice versa, beverage companies are engaging with fans on a variety of digital and social media platforms. In the past six years, social media usage has nearly quadrupled, rising from a little over six hours per month to five-and-a-half hours per week. During this same period, smartphone penetration has increased more than 400 percent, rising from 16.3 percent to 83.4 percent, according to Nielsen.
So when it comes to winning hearts and stomachs in the competitive consumer packed goods industry, it’s likely that companies will continue to focus on product transparency and measure brand loyalty through mobile apps, Facebook and Twitter feeds, and overall consumer engagement.
