Consumers want nutritious, low-impact food: How can innovation deliver at scale?

12 March 2026. From a growing focus on health and nutrition, to rising demand for lower-impact food, evolving consumer expectations are reshaping how value is created across the food sector.

The data reflects this shift, with 75% of Gen Z stating that environmental impact influences their food choices (Deloitte, 2025), and 84% of US consumers rating wellness as a “top” priority (McKinsey, 2025). But consumer expectations around health, nutrition and sustainability are no longer siloed – they have converged into a single commercial imperative for competitive advantage.

This webinar explored how companies are responding to changing consumer demand and utilising innovation to deliver products that meet both sustainability and nutrition expectations. We’ll look at how organisations are adapting and reformulating products, developing innovation levers, and balancing food functionality and sustainability – all whilst creating business value.

• Dorothy Shaver - Global Food Sustainability Director Unilever
• Caroline Reid - Senior Sustainability Director Oatly
• Alex Skidmore - Head of Market Intelligence Europe Griffith Foods

The panelists explored:

• Staying ahead of the curve: How can business capitalize on consumer demand rather than reacting to it?
• Adapting to new priorities: How are changing nutrition priorities and consumer awareness reshaping consumption models?
  
• Challenges vs solutions: What are the innovation levers driving commercial impact, and how are companies deciding what to prioritise across innovation, R&D, and sustainability?
• What’s next for value creation: The opportunities and limitations posed by a rapidly changing consumer landscape

Summary:

1. Consumer expectations are rapidly shifting toward “nutrition + sustainability”. Speakers emphasized that consumers increasingly want food that is both healthy and environmentally responsible, rather than choosing between the two. Surveys show strong demand: many consumers prioritize wellness while younger generations also consider environmental impact in food choices.
2. Health, sustainability, and taste must be integrated—not treated as separate goals. Companies historically optimized products for taste and price, adding sustainability later. The panel argued that future food innovation must simultaneously optimize nutrition, taste, affordability, and environmental impact.
3. Taste remains the primary barrier to scaling sustainable food. Despite rising awareness of sustainability, consumers rarely compromise on flavor. Panelists stressed that innovations such as plant-based foods must achieve “taste parity” with traditional foods to reach mainstream markets.
4. Reformulation is a key lever for improving nutrition at scale. Food manufacturers are increasingly reformulating existing products to reduce salt, sugar, and saturated fat while maintaining taste. Reformulation is seen as one of the fastest ways to improve population nutrition without requiring major changes in consumer behavior.
5. Ingredient innovation is reshaping the food industry. The discussion highlighted innovations such as: plant-based proteins, fermentation-derived ingredients, functional ingredients that improve nutrition or texture. These technologies help companies develop foods with lower environmental footprints and better nutritional profiles.
6. Supply chain transformation is essential for low-impact food. Sustainability improvements cannot come only from product formulation. Companies must work across the entire value chain, including sourcing raw materials sustainably, supporting farmers, and reducing emissions and waste in manufacturing.
7. Scaling sustainable innovation requires partnerships. Panelists stressed collaboration across the food ecosystem: ingredient suppliers, startups, retailers, farmers, research institutions. Innovation cannot scale if companies operate in isolation.
8. Consumer communication and transparency are critical. Companies must explain the nutritional and environmental benefits of new foods clearly and credibly. Without effective communication, consumers may distrust new products or misunderstand sustainability claims.
9. Food environments influence consumer choices as much as preferences. Even if consumers say they want sustainable food, availability, price, and convenience strongly shape purchasing decisions. For sustainable diets to scale, better products must also be accessible and affordable.
10. Innovation in food is becoming a competitive advantage. The webinar concluded that companies that anticipate consumer demand for nutritious, low-impact food will gain market leadership. Firms that delay innovation risk losing relevance as the food system transitions toward healthier and more sustainable products.