I don’t pretend to be an economist, or an expert in any area other than the way I choose to live. But like you, I have to purchase food, and like you, I’ve witnessed many changes in the way this is done over the years. Never more, than the changes we all witnessed in 2020.
So what is “buying food” gonna look like this year?
As with everything else in our world, grocery buying trends in 2020 were drastically affected by the Covid pandemic. Within weeks the whole landscape, worldwide – changed. As the year wore on, food shortages that modern generations have never before seen, became less of a shock and more of the ‘norm’. Images of empty shelves became common place. Panic buying in the early months, turned to strategic buying, and the term “Food Security” took on new meaning.
There is little doubt that our collective experience in 2020 altered the way we as a society look at food shopping, but have you noticed any changes in your personal experiences? Has your buying behaviour been altered over the last twelve or so months? If so, in what ways?
The pandemic uncovered gaps in the way our food was distributed – as the unthinkable became reality. Our former collective sense of invincibility became a little more vulnerable, and all those freaky people who practiced Food Storage, suddenly seemed a little less strange. Consumers stopped buying just for today, and started buying with tomorrow in mind. Food companies responded by setting aside the development of fun, new products, to make way for the bigger challenge – that of keeping the shelves stocked with staples. And that, was no small challenge!
The pandemic uncovered gaps in the way our food was produced too. We had gotten away from locally produced food, as it had become more cost effective to import from distant producers. This always made me nervous. Market gardens and farms that depended on seasonal migrant workers found that their once dependable labour supply was no longer able to cross borders. Adjustments had to be made. Social distancing requirements made it necessary to close meat plants, and other assembly line productions. More adjustments had to be made. Home gardening skyrocketed in popularity as food supplementation became important to more and more North Americans. Many seed companies began selling out. More adjustments had to be made.
Restriction in movement, and general hesitance to gather in public, with health and safety protocol implemented on every level, created a whole new reality for buying groceries. Newly introduced delivery options were embraced quicker than before, so that consumers rarely had to walk the aisles in person unless they chose to. And all this time, healthy eating remained a priority – even gaining renewed attention. Afterall, our best defense against disease is good nutrition.
So here we are, standing in a new year, not seeing the changes we all hoped we would by now. 2021 looks suspiciously like 2020. After months of lifestyle adjustments, experts believe that the evolution of consumer behavior will continue in it’s current trend, as more and more of us have experienced first hand, the convenience of groceries delivered right to our doors. Online subscription purchasing continues to rise in popularity, providing flexibility, consistency, and food security. Buying ahead requires food stability, so alternatives to perishable foods are critical, and people are looking at the quality of freeze dried food with renewed interest.
Our once ‘outgoing’ society, has given way to a ‘homebody’ society, and for the foreseeable future, that implies a ‘homebody economy’ – of home cooking, home baking, home renovations, home gardening, and DIY projects. Online recipe searches have increased dramatically, and online shopping of food and other essentials, seems to be here to stay.
2020 was a fascinating year, of change that none of us could have imagined at the beginning of it, but we humans are an adaptable lot, and we’ve learned ways of being successful with our new reality. While Covid fatigue is a real thing, and we yearn to get back to our former lives, there is little expectation that we will ever return to many of our pre-covid behaviours. There will be loss in that – of course. But change also implies growth. We’ll figure this out. And in the process, hopefully we’ll hold on to those things we loved about our pre 2020 lives, while we embrace new, innovative ways of going forward.
The challenge of course, is to open our eyes, and to not only ‘see’ for ourselves what those new, innovative ways of improving our Food Security are, but to be willing to incorporate them. Freeze dried food is the most nutritious food on the planet – second only to what we can grow in our own backyard, organic gardens. It is shelf stable, making long term food storage easy. There is zero waste so it is more economical when compared to the 40% food waste in the average North American home. And it is light weight, making it easy to ship thousands of miles. It is the answer to the high cost of food in the north, and food shortages in many countries.
For the average North American home, it is the answer to nutritious, delicious meals prepared in half the time they used to take. For people focused on healthy eating, it is the best way to eat vine ripened, “fresher-than-fresh” nutrition. For people to whom food security is a priority, the 25 year shelf life is a huge benefit.
I’d love to hear your ideas and suggestions for food security going into 2021.
Warmly,
Cindy Suelzle