HIGHLY EDUCATED MOMS: HOW DO THEY REALLY SLICE UP SWEETENERS?

MOMS – THE NUTRITIONAL GATEKEEPER OF THE HOUSE

STACEY IS EXTREMELY NEGATIVE WHEN TALKING ABOUT FOODS AND BEVERAGES WITH ADDED SUGAR AND HFCS.

HFCS-AVOIDING MOMS SEEMED MORE DRIVEN BY SOCIAL QUALMS RATHER THAN SCIENTIFIC FACTS. When compared to other segments in the market, these surveyed moms:8

COST DOESN’T MATTER. IF IT’S HEALTHY, WE HAVE TO BUY IT.” - Stacey9

These moms rated both cookies as having the same nutritional value.7

Cornell University researchers surveyed 1,008 well-informed mothers about their attitudes and behaviors toward sweeteners. Based on their responses, the moms were divided into three groups: HFCS avoiders, sugar avoiders and non-avoiders.1

The majority of these moms mirrored the Sweetener360 study’s profile of thebuyer segment that is the most concerned with sweeteners: Stacey, representing 17 percent of the buyer market.2

FRIED FOOD74%

HFCS80%

FAST FOOD74%

SUGAR72%

PROCESSED FOOD

71%

• Mother• High income• Reads nutrition labels

• Believes consumers vote with their wallet• Involved in sweetener discussions online

Out of all buyers, Stacey is the most concerned about sweeteners.5

An extremely high percentage of people in this segment avoid these five foods:4

Moms influence 72 percent of the food their families eat.6

72%

CONTAINS TABLE SUGAR

CONTAINS HFCS

WHEN IT COMES TO INDULGENT FOODS, HFCS-AVOIDING MOMS, LIKE STACEY, DON’T SEE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EITHER COOKIE:

HFCS-AVOIDING MOMS WOULD PAY NO MORE FOR THE PRODUCTS THAN CONSUMERS WHO WERE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT HFCS.10

SALAD DRESSING

SOFT DRINK (12-PACK)

YOGURT CEREAL

Are more concerned about fitting in

Think it’s important that their friends know they are HFCS-free

Are more likely to seek information that reinforces their opinions of HFCS

Consume two times the amount of information about HFCS on the Internet than mothers who do not avoid sugar

“

In reality, price is a key determining factor for moms who claim to avoid HFCS:

EVEN IF THE FOLLOWING WERE SWEETENED WITH TABLE SUGAR INSTEAD OF HFCS:

IN FACT, WHEN ASKED, 76.2 PERCENT OF BUYERS IN STACEY’S SEGMENT SAID THEY WOULD NOT SACRIFICE TASTE FOR HEALTHIER PRODUCTS.12

As revealed in both the Cornell University and Sweetener360 studies, while HFCS avoiders tend to be outspoken buyers leading the discussion against HFCS – what they say does not necessarily reflect what they do.

… yet she comprises 4 percent of the buyers of HFCS-formulated products and 17 percenof soft drink sales.11 14% 17%

KEY TAKEAWAY

Sources:

1Cornell University, “Ingredient-Based Food Fears and Avoidance: Antecedents and Antidotes,” Food Quality and Preference, 20142Sweetener360; Mintel Consulting & Nielsen, October 20133Ibid4Ibid5Ibid6Cornell University, “Ingredient-Based Food Fears and Avoidance: Antecedents and Antidotes,” Food Quality and Preference, 20147Ibid8Ibid9Sweetener360; Mintel Consulting & Nielsen, October 201310Cornell University, “Ingredient-Based Food Fears and Avoidance: Antecedents and Antidotes,” Food Quality and Preference, 201411Sweetener360; Mintel Consulting & Nielsen, October 201312Ibid

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