BTW; If any of you listen to Phil's Supermarket Guru Show on WOR radio, you would have heard your webmaster being interviewed on it last Sunday! I have to tell you that Phil really seems very supportive of low carb, and he's been going out of his way to educate consumers about the dangers of high-fructose corn syrup, too! I was on his show in my capacity as VP of Sales & Marketing for Pleasantville Cookie Company. Phil had tried our cookies and given them a great review on his site. Now, back to the press release (hey , i have to toot my own horn once in a blue moon, don't i? ):

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Oct 8, 2003 12:44 ET

Consumers Plan to Cook More, Eat Healthier in 2004; GMA, SupermarketGuru(R) Survey Says Low-Carb Diet Here to Stay

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Half of American consumers say they will eat more low-fat foods and cook more meals from scratch at home in 2004, according to an exclusive survey conducted for the Grocery Manufacturers of America by Phil Lempert on his SupermarketGuru.com(R) Web site.


Fifty-three percent of those surveyed say they want to eat more low-fat foods, while 51 percent of responded that they intend to cook more from scratch at home.


Respondents also indicated that convenience will remain a factor in meal planning, as 29 percent answered that they will "eat more freshly prepared foods that need to be heated," while 27 percent said they will "cook more meals at home using prepared ingredients."


When asked what types of cuisines shoppers will eat more of in 2004, the top three answers were "low-fat" (49 percent), "low-carbohydrate" (40 percent) and "fat-free" (27 percent), indicating that healthy eating is top priority for consumers. Twenty-eight percent of respondents selected "nutritional value" as the number one factor when purchasing the main ingredient for dinner, just ahead of price (27 percent).


The low-carb diet trend is clearly affecting consumers, as 74 percent of those surveyed said they were following a low-carb diet, and 60 percent said they were on the diet to lose weight. Low-carb protein bars and breads were the most commonly purchased products (bought by 54 percent and 41 percent of respondents, respectively), followed by low-carb ice cream (31 percent), chocolate (30 percent) and beer (20 percent). Perhaps most significantly, 82 percent of those surveyed thought the low-carb diet trend will last, with 51 percent saying they thought it would last "forever."


Shoppers also place a high value on brands, as 80 percent said that "familiarity with the company" is either "very" or "somewhat" important when buying foods. When asked "what is the meaning of trust as it relates to food and the companies that make the foods," four out of five respondents selected "high food safety standards" and "quality" as defining terms. When asked in which categories consumers would only purchase a brand that is known and trusted, the top three food categories were sodas (47 percent), canned soup (44 percent) and breakfast cereals (40 percent).


Lempert presented the survey's results at the recent GMA's Merchandising, Sales & Marketing Conference. While noting that the nearly 1,650 respondents were self-selected participants in the non-random survey, Lempert said that results of previous SupermarketGuru.com(R) surveys tended to be reflected in scientific surveys about nine months later. A copy of his presentation can be downloaded at http://www.gmabrands.com/events/msmpresen.cfm


GMA is the world's largest association of food, beverage and consumer product companies. With U.S. sales of more than $500 billion, GMA members employ more than 2.5 million workers in all 50 states. The organization applies legal, scientific and political expertise from its member companies to vital food, nutrition and public policy issues affecting the industry. Led by a board of 42 Chief Executive Officers, GMA speaks for food and consumer product manufacturers and sales agencies at the state, federal and international levels on legislative and regulatory issues. The association also leads efforts to increase productivity, efficiency and growth in the food, beverage and consumer products industry.


The "Supermarket Guru(R)," Phil Lempert is the food trends editor and correspondent for NBC News' TODAY Show, and KNBC-TV in Los Angeles, where he reports on consumer trends, food safety, money saving tips and showcasing new products. He started out his life born into the food world by checking the supermarket shelves with his Dad, working at McDonald's and Howard Johnson's in high school, and after graduating Drexel University with a degree in marketing and retail management worked in his family's food brokerage firm. Not content to rely on passive merchandising, Lempert began publishing the bi- weekly "The Lempert Report(R)" and became the spokesman for food consumerism. Lempert's latest book is "Being the Shopper."


Source: Grocery Manufacturers of America

CONTACT: Michael E. Diegel of Grocery Manufacturers of America,
+1-202-337-9400; or Phil Lempert, Supermarket Guru, +1-323-860-3070


Web site: http://www.gmabrands.com/
http://www.supermarketguru.com/
http://www.gmabrands.com/events/msmpresen.cfm