The sustainability revolution is here

The sustainability revolution is arriving faster than many companies expected. Just as with digital, sustainability is shifting profit pools to open up multibillion-dollar industries. 

COVID-19 increased pressure on brands and retailers to create seamless shopper experience, speed to market, and product transparency. 

Even in a year dominated by a global pandemic, the sustainability revolution has accelerated faster than expected.

Bottom line: shoppers today are buying groceries online, and also buying more products based on specific lifestyle and dietary needs, such as organic, vegan or low carb. 

According to a NielsenIQ study, “sustainability-linked consumer products brands now grow nearly six times faster than other brands, and 73% of global consumers say they would definitely or probably change their consumption habits to reduce their impact on the environment.”

Further, Prosper surveyed over 8,000 people and found that almost 70% are taking specific actions to improve their health related to the attributes of their product choices including limiting caloric, fat, and sodium intake, and buying more organic, meatless, gluten-free, and non-GMO products.

Implications of HFSS legislation

Add to that legislation such as the United Kingdom’s new compliance initiative that will restrict special reduced-price offers on foods with high fat, sugar, and/or salt content (HFSS). The legislation will also ban free refills for sodas. 

April 2022: a date now firmly etched into the minds of most retailers and brands. That is the date the government’s new HFSS legislation comes into force. 

As it is proposed currently, the legislation will affect price promotions, in-store product location, and online locations of foods high in fat, sugar, and salt. 

HFSS foods are defined as foods scoring four points or higher and beverages scoring one or higher in the UK’s 2004-2005 Nutrient Profiling Model. Examples include soft drinks, drinks with added sugars, cakes, sweets, cereals, pastries, ice cream, pizza, chips, and prepared meals. 

The recent Label Insight Empty Aisles report found that 30 major retailers’ websites failed to surface 92% of qualifying products in their assortment via search filters based on the top 25 product attributes shoppers searched for online such as “low sugar” and “keto.” 

National mandates like HFSS and discerning shoppers that care about sustainability are driving leading retailers to recognise this issue and work with both national and their own private label brands to close these product attribute data gaps. 

Are you ready to close the product attribute and content completeness gaps and ensure compliance to HFSS? 

Both brands and retailers are going to need to work together to understand the HFSS implications and adapt and evolve product and commerce marketing strategies accordingly.

Introducing Nielsen Brandbank’s content health solution

Understand the strengths and weaknesses of your product content and then quickly take action to top-off data and improve product discovery. 

Brands can leverage this solution to alert retailers as to their compliance with HFSS and beyond. 

• Clearly state if your product is HFSS compliant.
• Promote the nutritional impact of your product.
• Update your marketing information to showcase what your strategy around obesity is and how you are improving.
• Showcase your brand’s sustainability initiatives by updating your packaging attributes to their retailers.
• Go beyond the pack and tell your brand story.
• Differentiate your product through health and wellness and other needs.

Learn more by contacting us today.