International Food Information Council

Hi, Marianne.

Let's look at consumer trends data from surveys conducted by the International Food Information Council, or IFIC.

In 2025, IFIC's Spotlight Survey on American Perceptions of Food Date Labeling found that while half of those surveyed know that best by, best if used by, and used by refer to maintenance of product quality, nearly one-third thinks that this information pertains to safety, and one in six Americans think food needs to be discarded after the date.

IFIC points out that consumers need to understand the difference between food quality and food safety in order to help reduce food waste.

But I also find that it is really interesting.

The International Food Information Council does an annual food and health survey, and they have such wonderful information there about consumer purchasing preferences and what they're looking at.

And their most recent survey said that consumers are focused on processing information.

And overall, 73% say they take processing into account before they buy food.

Yes.

And we know that research by IFIC, the International Food Information Council, really underscores the fact that people respond well to positive messages and adding things.

But point well taken, Julie, about substituting some of the refined grains for whole grains.

But there's a place for both in the diet, I know.

I'm your host, Christina Herrick, and I sit down with leaders and disruptors in the fresh produce industry who are reimagining how we grow, move, and deliver fresh fruits and vegetables in a changing world.

And joining me today is Chris Sollid, the senior director of research and consumer insights with the International Food Information Council.

Thanks for joining me, Chris.

It's wonderful to be here, Christina.

So, um, give us a little snapshot of that and then kind of bring that into the context of where we are today.

That's a great place to start.

So maybe for those of you who aren't familiar with my organization, the International Food Information Council, I can just let you know that one of our primary objectives is conducting consumer research.

We find that oftentimes the consumer voice is left out of really relevant discussions, whether it be in policy or education or just nutrition science in general, trying to understand where do consumers may need a little extra in terms of information or detail to help them make informed choices.

And, uh, I think in the last, uh, probably few years, even though I haven't seen as much conversation even around maybe some of my colleagues as well because, you know, you, you look at consumer researches as well.

So to your point is that some of the latest research that's come out either by the International Food Information Council or others, uh, you know, what drives individuals to buy food, it's always taste, uh, followed by price.

And, uh, you know, and this year, uh, convenience was definitely an- the issue, uh, the next that really jumped, and then helpfulness.

And, um, I totally, um, you know, I totally agree with you when it, when we talk about impact is that- Sometimes I think when we've looked at environmental impact, we haven't compared that to really the nutrient density of some of the foods that you've just mentioned.