Almost 60% of Portuguese people say they are concerned about their health, and the level of agreement is increasing. This fact is also demonstrated in the kitchen, where food is being prepared in an increasingly simple and light way. In practically 50% of lunch and dinner occasions, the Portuguese cook in a healthy way (including boiled, raw or cold, and grilled foods).
These are data from the study "Pleasure without guilt, the path to health", conducted by Kantar in Portugal, which portrays the Portuguese consumer in terms of their relationship with food, with a special focus on healthy versus pleasurable eating.
The study shows that the Portuguese are also reducing their consumption of sugar, salt, and fats. Nutritional analysis conducted specifically for this study found that they are consuming 14% less sugar, 12% less salt, and 5% less fat. Changes in purchasing behavior corroborate this shift in attitude, with categories such as margarine, salt, refined sugar, and soft drinks losing ground in shopping baskets, while categories like honey, nuts, and coconut oil are gaining prominence, among other categories now seen as healthier.
According to Marta Santos, Manufacturers Sector Director at Kantar, “ there is indeed an effort on the part of the Portuguese to reduce the consumption of certain products that they consider less healthy, but on the supply side there has also been an evolution, with brands increasingly focusing on natural products, the origin of ingredients and the transparency of product composition. Organic, 'superfoods' and 'free from' products are gaining more prominence in consumers' daily lives .”
Despite this relatively significant change, health concerns differ according to age. Older people (65 years and older), for natural reasons of age, seek to maintain better health and therefore buy larger baskets of fruit, vegetables, and fresh meat. Almost 80% of seniors admit to eating less fat and buying low-salt products, and 35% try to avoid caffeinated products, placing them above the national average in these three indicators. Younger people (up to 34 years old) seek solutions that increasingly help them at home and facilitate their daily lives, giving more space to convenience and practicality, as well as indulgence. Almost 90% say they like to enjoy life to the fullest, 74% prefer quick and easy food preparation, and 53% like to eat unhealthy products when they feel down. This group stood out in 2018 for having the greatest increase in demand for ready-made soups, chocolate bars, and hot dog and hamburger buns, among other categories.
Health concerns are important, but food must also be enjoyable. Therefore, Marta Santos states that " the three pillars for the growth of health categories will be exploring an offering that also provides pleasure and indulgence in consumption, reinforcing 'ready-to-eat' solutions which, in Portugal, compared to other European countries, still have potential. Exploring the organic concept, which shows a 60% growth and is only present in 40% of Portuguese households, helps more established categories such as yogurts, biscuits, and pasta ."
