Top tens

Today the Nielsen Company released its research on the most popular trends among Americans during 2007. What do you think: any surprises?

Top 10 consumer packaged goods
(Percent of US homes who purchased each category in 2007)

Fresh bread 97%
Refrigerated milk 95%
Toilet tissue 93%
Fresh eggs 93%
Cookies 93%
Ready-to-eat cereal 92%
Canned soup 91%
Chocolate candy 91%
Potato chips 88%
Batteries 86%

Source: Homescan(R) Consumer Facts, a service of The Nielsen Company
Note: The percentage of U.S. households who purchased at least once
during 52-weeks ending June 30, 2007. Prepackaged, UPC items only.

Top 10 consumer package goods sold in U.S. Retail Stores
(Dollars sold)

Carbonated soft drinks $17.6 bn
Refrigerated milk $12.8 bn
Cigarettes $7.8 bn
Ready-to-eat cereal $7.7 bn
Fresh bread $7.7 bn
Prerecorded video products $6.6 bn
Still bottled water $6.0 bn
Toilet tissue $5.3 bn
Light beer $5.1 bn
Cookies $4.9 bn

Source: Nielsen Strategic Planner(TM) and Nielsen Wal-Mart Channel, services of The Nielsen Company
Note: Total U.S. Food/Drug/Mass Merchandiser Stores (Including Wal-Mart). Prepackaged, UPC items only. Sales are for 52 Weeks ending November 3, 2007.

Top tens

Today the Nielsen Company released its research on the most popular trends among Americans during 2007. What do you think: any surprises?

Top 10 consumer packaged goods
(Percent of US homes who purchased each category in 2007)

Fresh bread 97%
Refrigerated milk 95%
Toilet tissue 93%
Fresh eggs 93%
Cookies 93%
Ready-to-eat cereal 92%
Canned soup 91%
Chocolate candy 91%
Potato chips 88%
Batteries 86%

Source: Homescan(R) Consumer Facts, a service of The Nielsen Company
Note: The percentage of U.S. households who purchased at least once
during 52-weeks ending June 30, 2007. Prepackaged, UPC items only.

Top 10 consumer package goods sold in U.S. Retail Stores
(Dollars sold)

Carbonated soft drinks $17.6 bn
Refrigerated milk $12.8 bn
Cigarettes $7.8 bn
Ready-to-eat cereal $7.7 bn
Fresh bread $7.7 bn
Prerecorded video products $6.6 bn
Still bottled water $6.0 bn
Toilet tissue $5.3 bn
Light beer $5.1 bn
Cookies $4.9 bn

Source: Nielsen Strategic Planner(TM) and Nielsen Wal-Mart Channel, services of The Nielsen Company
Note: Total U.S. Food/Drug/Mass Merchandiser Stores (Including Wal-Mart). Prepackaged, UPC items only. Sales are for 52 Weeks ending November 3, 2007.

Is online food not as fresh?

A new report suggests that while ordering the weekly shop online may be convenient, the food the consumer receives is not as fresh.

Which? conducted a survey of four major supermarkets in the UK - Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys and Waitrose - buying ten common items.

The report found that the best-before dates on the food bought was earlier than what was available that same day in the stores.

Of the "snapshot" research, the best-before dates on plums, carrots, potatoes and salad were more than a day earlier than the same produce available in the shops. For a loaf of bread, in one case, there was a loaf of bread with a use-by date of more than eight days later than that bread ordered online.

Tesco, Waitrose and Sainsburys said that they employ shoppers which aim to pick the best produce for online customers. Tesco also said that its customers can indicate minimum best-before dates. Asda did not respond.

Is online food not as fresh?

A new report suggests that while ordering the weekly shop online may be convenient, the food the consumer receives is not as fresh.

Which? conducted a survey of four major supermarkets in the UK - Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys and Waitrose - buying ten common items.

The report found that the best-before dates on the food bought was earlier than what was available that same day in the stores.

Of the "snapshot" research, the best-before dates on plums, carrots, potatoes and salad were more than a day earlier than the same produce available in the shops. For a loaf of bread, in one case, there was a loaf of bread with a use-by date of more than eight days later than that bread ordered online.

Tesco, Waitrose and Sainsburys said that they employ shoppers which aim to pick the best produce for online customers. Tesco also said that its customers can indicate minimum best-before dates. Asda did not respond.

Nothing says happy holidays like... a steak

The trend of giving food as a holiday is picking up steam as shoppers aim to buy useful gifts for their friends and family and interest of gourmet foods rises.

According to a recent survey by Packaged Facts, “consumer food gifting” has increased by over 50% between 2004 and 2006. This rise is all the more important given that consumer gifts in general have declined by 8% over the same period.

The types of gifts range from chocolates, cheeses and candies to… steak. One company, Omaha Steaks, has been in business for 90 years offers gift packages of steak and other gourmet specialties.

Is gourmet food “earning a solid reputation as a perfect gift”, as Omaha Steak’s senior vice president claims? All signs point to yes, as many major retailers in the UK such as John Lewis and Selfridges advertise gourmet gift hampers. Organic shops such as Daylesford Organic, which offers gourmet food gifts year round, sells some rather dear Christmas-inspired options too.

Internet shopping has supported the food gift trends as well. Packaged Facts reports that more Americans are shopping online than ever, as web traffic is up by 157%.

Photo credit: Omaha Steaks

Nothing says happy holidays like... a steak

The trend of giving food as a holiday is picking up steam as shoppers aim to buy useful gifts for their friends and family and interest of gourmet foods rises.

According to a recent survey by Packaged Facts, “consumer food gifting” has increased by over 50% between 2004 and 2006. This rise is all the more important given that consumer gifts in general have declined by 8% over the same period.

The types of gifts range from chocolates, cheeses and candies to… steak. One company, Omaha Steaks, has been in business for 90 years offers gift packages of steak and other gourmet specialties.

Is gourmet food “earning a solid reputation as a perfect gift”, as Omaha Steak’s senior vice president claims? All signs point to yes, as many major retailers in the UK such as John Lewis and Selfridges advertise gourmet gift hampers. Organic shops such as Daylesford Organic, which offers gourmet food gifts year round, sells some rather dear Christmas-inspired options too.

Internet shopping has supported the food gift trends as well. Packaged Facts reports that more Americans are shopping online than ever, as web traffic is up by 157%.

Photo credit: Omaha Steaks

Britain’s love affair with bacon continues

More than £1bn has been spent on bacon in the last year in the UK, according to figures reported in the Guardian today from TNS Worldpanel.

This means more bacon sandwiches (a decidedly British recipe) and more cocktail sausages wrapped in bacon. The average household in Britain buys bacon three times a week (The Culinary Digest wonders what is meant by this? Three individual servings? Or three packages?)

Much of the increase in spending, however, is connected to the ‘gourmet’ trend so prevalent in all sectors of the food market. Bacon is becoming more expensive and premium-brand bacon is rising in popularity – thus the 6% rise in spending.

Britain’s love affair with bacon continues

More than £1bn has been spent on bacon in the last year in the UK, according to figures reported in the Guardian today from TNS Worldpanel.

This means more bacon sandwiches (a decidedly British recipe) and more cocktail sausages wrapped in bacon. The average household in Britain buys bacon three times a week (The Culinary Digest wonders what is meant by this? Three individual servings? Or three packages?)

Much of the increase in spending, however, is connected to the ‘gourmet’ trend so prevalent in all sectors of the food market. Bacon is becoming more expensive and premium-brand bacon is rising in popularity – thus the 6% rise in spending.

West coast of US has highest concentration of organic consumers - report

San Francisco, California and Seattle, Washington are the biggest markets in the US for organics consumers, making the west coast of the country an organic stronghold, according to a new report.

Scarborough Research analysed 79 markets in the USA and compared them to the national average, where 17% of US consumers are organic product users (which is defined as those who have used organic products in the last month). 23 markets were identified as "organic markets," meaning that the percentage of consumers buying or using organic products was higher than the national average.

In San Francisco, 35% of consumers had used organic products in the last month, the consultancy found, while in Seattle, 32% of consumers went organic.

The top five were rounded out with Portland, Oregon (29%), Denver, Colorado (26%), and Washington, DC (26%, making it the city with the highest concentration of organic product users east of the Mississippi river.)

"Cities such as San Francisco and Seattle have long been known for active, healthful lifestyles, and therefore it makes sense that these are the top markets for organics users," explains Alisa Joseph, vice president of advertiser agency services at Scarborough. "However, the industry should keep an eye on the Southern region of the U.S. , as many markets there have a significant presence of organics consumers as well."

Unsurprisingly, the consultancy found that organics users also had household salaries higher than the national average and spent more on their weekly grocery bills ($127 versus $115). They are also young, and often with families: these consumers are 19% more likely to be between the ages of 18 and 34, and 13% more likely to have two or more children, according to the report.

The Culinary Digest wonders whether California is more likely to have organic consumers because it is location for much of the United States' home-grown fruit, vegetables and wine. Whether these organics products are locally sourced - or, quite likely, imported - is a very important question to answer.

Top local markets for organic product consumers

San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose, CA - 35%
Seattle/Tacoma, WA - 32%
Portland, OR - 27%
Washington, D.C. - 26%
Denver, CO - 26%
San Diego, CA - 24%
Austin , TX - 23%
Sacramento/Stockton/Modesto, CA - 22%
Boston, MA - 21%
Phoenix, AZ - 21%
Atlanta, GA - 21%
Los Angeles, CA - 21%
Albuquerque/Santa Fe, NM - 21%
Colorado Springs/Pueblo, CO - 21%
Spokane, WA - 21%
New York, NY - 20%
Salt Lake City, UT - 20%
Greenville/Spartanburg/Asheville/Anderson, SC - 20%
Tucson, AZ - 20%
Albany/Schenectady/Troy, NY - 19%
Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, FL - 19%
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX - 18%
Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN - 18%
Hartford/New Haven, CT - 17%
Detroit, MI - 17%
Milwaukee, WI -17%
Las Vegas, NV - 17%
Philadelphia, PA - 17%
Chicago, IL - 16%
Providence/New Bedford, RI - 16%
Bakersfield, CA - 16%
Honolulu, HI - 16%
Raleigh/Durham, NC - 16%
Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL - 15%
El Paso, TX - 15%
Houston, TX - 15%
Orlando/Daytona Beach/Melbourne, FL - 15%
Baltimore, MD - 15%
Charlotte, NC - 15%
West Palm Beach/Fort Pierce, FL - 15%
Columbus, OH - 15%
Fresno/Visalia, CA - 15%
Harrisburg/Lancaster/Lebanon/York, PA - 15%
Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem, NC - 13%
Jacksonville, FL - 13%
Indianapolis, IN - 13%
Chattanooga, TN - 13%
Cincinnati, OH - 13%
Oklahoma City, OK - 13%
Cleveland/Akron, OH - 13%
Norfolk/Portsmouth/Newport News, VA - 13%
Rochester, NY - 13%
Dayton, OH - 12%
Mobile/Pensacola, FL - 12%
San Antonio, TX - 12%
Wichita/Hutchinson, KS - 12%
Syracuse, NY - 12%
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA - 12%
Kansas City, MO - 11%
Lexington, KY - 11%
Knoxville, TN - 11%
Nashville, TN - 11%
Buffalo, NY - 11%
Richmond/Petersburg, VA - 11%
Flint/Saginaw/Bay City, MI - 10%
St. Louis, MO - 10%
Louisville, KY - 10%
Tulsa, OK - 10%
Pittsburgh, PA - 10%
Fort Myers/Naples, FL - 10%
Memphis, TN - 10%
Roanoke/Lynchburg, VA - 10%
Green Bay/Appleton, WI - 10%
Little Rock/Pine Bluff, AK - 10%
Toledo, OH - 10%
Charleston/Huntington, WV - 9%
Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo/Battle Creek, MI - 8%
Birmingham, AL - 8%
Des Moines/Ames, IA - 8%
(source: Scarborough Research)

West coast of US has highest concentration of organic consumers - report

San Francisco, California and Seattle, Washington are the biggest markets in the US for organics consumers, making the west coast of the country an organic stronghold, according to a new report.

Scarborough Research analysed 79 markets in the USA and compared them to the national average, where 17% of US consumers are organic product users (which is defined as those who have used organic products in the last month). 23 markets were identified as "organic markets," meaning that the percentage of consumers buying or using organic products was higher than the national average.

In San Francisco, 35% of consumers had used organic products in the last month, the consultancy found, while in Seattle, 32% of consumers went organic.

The top five were rounded out with Portland, Oregon (29%), Denver, Colorado (26%), and Washington, DC (26%, making it the city with the highest concentration of organic product users east of the Mississippi river.)

"Cities such as San Francisco and Seattle have long been known for active, healthful lifestyles, and therefore it makes sense that these are the top markets for organics users," explains Alisa Joseph, vice president of advertiser agency services at Scarborough. "However, the industry should keep an eye on the Southern region of the U.S. , as many markets there have a significant presence of organics consumers as well."

Unsurprisingly, the consultancy found that organics users also had household salaries higher than the national average and spent more on their weekly grocery bills ($127 versus $115). They are also young, and often with families: these consumers are 19% more likely to be between the ages of 18 and 34, and 13% more likely to have two or more children, according to the report.

The Culinary Digest wonders whether California is more likely to have organic consumers because it is location for much of the United States' home-grown fruit, vegetables and wine. Whether these organics products are locally sourced - or, quite likely, imported - is a very important question to answer.

Top local markets for organic product consumers

San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose, CA - 35%
Seattle/Tacoma, WA - 32%
Portland, OR - 27%
Washington, D.C. - 26%
Denver, CO - 26%
San Diego, CA - 24%
Austin , TX - 23%
Sacramento/Stockton/Modesto, CA - 22%
Boston, MA - 21%
Phoenix, AZ - 21%
Atlanta, GA - 21%
Los Angeles, CA - 21%
Albuquerque/Santa Fe, NM - 21%
Colorado Springs/Pueblo, CO - 21%
Spokane, WA - 21%
New York, NY - 20%
Salt Lake City, UT - 20%
Greenville/Spartanburg/Asheville/Anderson, SC - 20%
Tucson, AZ - 20%
Albany/Schenectady/Troy, NY - 19%
Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, FL - 19%
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX - 18%
Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN - 18%
Hartford/New Haven, CT - 17%
Detroit, MI - 17%
Milwaukee, WI -17%
Las Vegas, NV - 17%
Philadelphia, PA - 17%
Chicago, IL - 16%
Providence/New Bedford, RI - 16%
Bakersfield, CA - 16%
Honolulu, HI - 16%
Raleigh/Durham, NC - 16%
Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL - 15%
El Paso, TX - 15%
Houston, TX - 15%
Orlando/Daytona Beach/Melbourne, FL - 15%
Baltimore, MD - 15%
Charlotte, NC - 15%
West Palm Beach/Fort Pierce, FL - 15%
Columbus, OH - 15%
Fresno/Visalia, CA - 15%
Harrisburg/Lancaster/Lebanon/York, PA - 15%
Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem, NC - 13%
Jacksonville, FL - 13%
Indianapolis, IN - 13%
Chattanooga, TN - 13%
Cincinnati, OH - 13%
Oklahoma City, OK - 13%
Cleveland/Akron, OH - 13%
Norfolk/Portsmouth/Newport News, VA - 13%
Rochester, NY - 13%
Dayton, OH - 12%
Mobile/Pensacola, FL - 12%
San Antonio, TX - 12%
Wichita/Hutchinson, KS - 12%
Syracuse, NY - 12%
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA - 12%
Kansas City, MO - 11%
Lexington, KY - 11%
Knoxville, TN - 11%
Nashville, TN - 11%
Buffalo, NY - 11%
Richmond/Petersburg, VA - 11%
Flint/Saginaw/Bay City, MI - 10%
St. Louis, MO - 10%
Louisville, KY - 10%
Tulsa, OK - 10%
Pittsburgh, PA - 10%
Fort Myers/Naples, FL - 10%
Memphis, TN - 10%
Roanoke/Lynchburg, VA - 10%
Green Bay/Appleton, WI - 10%
Little Rock/Pine Bluff, AK - 10%
Toledo, OH - 10%
Charleston/Huntington, WV - 9%
Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo/Battle Creek, MI - 8%
Birmingham, AL - 8%
Des Moines/Ames, IA - 8%
(source: Scarborough Research)