Whole Foods Market Zeroes in on Gen Z Food Preferences
In the run up to Climate Week, Whole Foods Market is shedding light on the food, health and grocery shopping preferences of Gen Z consumers. The findings, which underscore a laser focus on sustainability and product quality, are part of a new national survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of Whole Foods.
Online survey respondents included 1,023 adults between the ages of 18 to 27 in the United States, with 70% supporting climate-smart agricultural practices and 55% saying they are willing to pay more for environmentally sustainable products. Additionally, more than half of respondents prefer brands that prioritize lower environmental impacts or locally sourced foods.
Some 80% of Gen Z respondents also said they prioritize food quality in purchasing decisions, with 70% willing to spend more on high-quality food. Moreover, 69% believe brands should advocate for a change in responsible sourcing, 66% prefer brands that give back to local communities, and 71% want to know that brands are supporting their employees.
“Prioritizing a positive climate impact while continuing to meet our rigorous Quality Standards is part of our identity at Whole Foods Market,” said Jason Buechel, Whole Foods CEO. “It’s not just what we do, it’s who we are as a company.”
Continued Buechel: “As Gen Z generates a higher demand for environmentally conscious products, we have continued to increase our efforts toward climate-smart agriculture and responsible sourcing practices. This generation gives me great optimism as we continue to protect our food systems for future generations to come.”
Looking toward the future, nearly 75% of Gen Z respondents said they are concerned about the future of our climate, and 68% said they would benefit from being given more information from retailers about the sustainability of the food products they wish to purchase.
The Austin, Texas-based grocer is a wholly owned subsidiary of Seattle-based Amazon, which is No. 2 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. Both Whole Foods and Amazon were named among PG’s Retailers of the Century. PG also named Whole Foods one of its 2024 Top 10 Sustainable Grocers.
