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Food and beverage trends in vietnam post-covid
Thach Huynh

COVID-19 cited as young Vietnamese' top motivation for healthy eating

46% of Vietnamese Gen Y & Gen Z consumers cited COVID-19 as the main motivator for healthy food consumption in a recent whitepaper by Decision Lab & Vero.

The consumer landscape in Vietnam sustained various changes in the post-pandemic world. Decision Lab has shown that digital consumption in Vietnam, for instance, was heavily dependent on the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a recent whitepaper by Vero and Decision Lab, the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam was shown to determine other aspects of Vietnamese consumers’ lives. 

According to the whitepaper, which captured the voices of 828 Gen Z & Gen Y consumers in major cities in Vietnam, the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the leading factors that make consumers reconsider their eating habits. The publication also reveals new trends in vitamin consumption and the difficulties consumers face in eating healthy.

The COVID scare

The COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam introduced devastating human loss and prolonged lockdowns to many areas in the country. Therefore, it’s no surprise that 46% of Vietnamese Millennials and Gen Z cited COVID-19 as the leading factors to make them reconsider their eating habits. 

 

According to the whitepaper, cooking was one of the ways in which Vietnamese cope with the pandemic. Memberships of cooking-focused social media groups increased significantly over this period. At the same time, ensuring sufficient nutrition uptake is also a way to boost immunity, a crucial weapon against the Coronavirus.

Supplements and vitamins

As consuming good food is associated with better health, Vietnamese consumers are also taking more supplements and vitamins. 46% mentioned taking vitamins or supplements as a popular health activity outside of healthy eating.

 
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Millennials (50%) utilize supplements and vitamins more than Gen Z (43%). After all, Gen Y consumers may face more health problems than Gen Z, while having more disposable income to spend on vitamins than their younger counterparts.

"Healthy food is expensive"

Despite its physical and mental health benefits, healthy eating introduces considerable costs to consumers. In a monetary sense, healthy food is perceived as pricier than typical food. 41% of consumers cite "healthy food is expensive" as a barrier to healthy eating.

This sensitivity to price is especially true for Millennials, 46% of whom cited price as a barrier to healthy eating. Only 37% of Gen Z shared the same concern. 

Healthy eating also is perceived as costly in terms of resources. 45% of consumers think they lack time to cook and prepare healthy food. This should prompt F&B brands to make healthy food options more readily consumable.

In general, brands should strive to capitalize on healthy eating trends among consumers. The "specter" of the global pandemic has made health the top priority for young Vietnamese consumers. Healthy eating and vitamin consumption are key ways in which consumers can achieve good health.

For more insights, download the full "Helping Brands tap into Vietnam's changing eating habits" report for FREE here. To get in touch about our entire suite of agile marketing products, reach out to one of our expert consultants today.  

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