October 2023 Food and Beverage Industry Trends in 10 Charts

The food and beverage industry continues to navigate a complex landscape as constantly evolving macro forces — from concerns about the broader economy to the future of work — shape daily choices around eating and drinking. Leaders in food and beverage must stay informed on consumers’ changing attitudes and behaviors around grocery shopping, cooking and dining out.

This downloadable resource contains 10 key charts which showcase the most important consumer trends in the food and beverage sector. These charts are powered by Morning Consult’s robust tracking of the industry through a monthly survey of U.S. adults.

Chart Pack highlights: 

• Despite cooling inflation, consumers remain concerned about the price of groceries. About 4 in 5 U.S. adults said they are concerned about the cost of meat (82%), produce (80%) and dairy products (76%) in September 2023, on par with their concerns at the same time last year.
• There is a slight gender divide in plans for healthy eating and drinking. Women (65%) are slightly more likely than men (58%) to say they plan on choosing healthier food and drinks over the next month. Healthy eating may be a higher priority for women than men, but a majority of men are also setting a goal to eat healthier. 
• Households with children are more likely to eat fast food on a weekly basis than those without. Nearly half (49%) of households with children under 18 said they purchased food from a quick-service or fast food establishment at least once a week over the past month compared with 26% of households without children. Parents may rely more on fast food for its convenience, especially as they juggle busier schedules that come with the start of the school year.