‘Achieving a healthy lifestyle’ is Chinese consumers’ top priority 

Achieving a healthy lifestyle continues to be Chinese consumers’ top priority, according to new research published by Mintel.

The consumer research company’s annual Chinese Consumer 2017 report tracks spending across 15 major consumer markets.

Achieving a healthy lifestyle continues to be Chinese consumers’ top priority, with “have a healthier diet” (80% of consumers say they will definitely do this in 2017) and “exercise more” (75% report they will definitely do this in 2017) the top two goals that consumers are determined to achieve in 2017, as was the case in 2014. “Travelling to new places” is a goal that has become increasingly important to consumers over the last four years, rising from ninth place in 2014 to third place in 2017. Meanwhile, “spend more time with family” – which 73% of consumers say they will do this year – dropped from third position in 2014 to sixth position in 2017.

Better-for-you foods drive further growth
Mintel forecasts that the in-home food market will reach RMB 7,001 billion in value by 2021, driven by the demand for more trading-up options in the form of better-for-you versions and higher quality ingredients. Looking forward, yogurt products positioned as an indulgent pleasure and cheese for snacking occasions will see the greatest potential. On the other end, both ready meals and instant noodles are in jeopardy due to the thriving food delivery service.

Healthy drinks take leading positions
Thanks to a nourishing and healthy image, plant protein drinks (PPDs), functional beverages (eg. sports drinks, energy drinks), as well as some light flavoured beverages, are all growing in popularity. Overall, the Chinese non-alcoholic drink market is likely to retain its positive growth with a CAGR of 7.2% in the next five years. Besides consumers’ ongoing interests in pursuing healthy food and drinks, their knowledge of nutrition and ingredients is also growing. As such, the premium soft drinks market is expecting products featuring a clean and natural ingredient list that create associations with functional health benefits.