High inflation has already modified the food consumption habits of Chileans

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A study carried out by Deloitte on preferences and trends in food purchases showed that consumers in Chile are more sensitive to inflation.

The survey, in which more than a thousand people participated during October, showed that 83% of those consulted modified their habits when buying food in response to the increase in domestic prices, which in twelve months registered an increase of 6.7%, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).

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Added to this is the vision that people living in the country have of the economy, which according to the report exhibits “high pessimism”, with 35% perceiving it to be somewhat worse than in 2020 and 15% describing it as “significantly worse”.

Given this, Miguel Pochat, Deloitte’s Consumer Affairs lead partner and who was in charge of the study, comments that both the inflation that has occurred and the inflation that is expected to appear to affect the food purchasing decisions of all socioeconomic segments.

He adds that the higher strata are more informed about the impact of higher inflation.

ADJUSTMENTS

Among the strategies applied by consumers, they mention that within their budget, they “considerably” reduce what they spend on prepared foods, replace them with second brands or own brands when they opt for a product, look for alternatives to buy in gram or bulk and even worry about being more careful in the preparation of food to “waste as little as possible”.

All this, in addition to replacing products with others of lesser value or looking for other places that offer more reasonable prices.

In this context, although 65% of those living in Chile said they preferred low-priced food options, 72% said they were willing to pay extra for fresh food (understood as fruits, vegetables, or meats).

“Despite all this, there is a segment, not minor, that is willing to pay more for fresh food,” Pochat highlights. This, he explains, is in line with the global trend of preferring foods that have traceability in their production that gives confidence: “There is a stronger awareness of knowing what you are eating,” he adds.

The report shows that 82% of citizens prefer to buy locally sourced food. This preference, he adds, is even greater among consumers over 50 years of age.

In addition, 85% of those surveyed say they are concerned about sustainability in the food production chain.

When deciding where to buy food, 85% of those living in the country are inclined to make at least one of their purchases in supermarket chains. There are frozen foods, water, and beverages of the type of products that they buy most.

Meanwhile, the report points out that free fairs are the favorite place to purchase fruits and vegetables, 53% of the preferences. This is followed by the purchase of fish and seafood with 32% of the mentions.

With information from Diario Financiero