Under the influence of social networks, young people are often singled out for their tendency to switch from one fashion to another, practice overconsumption or worship junk food. But as with their favorite applications, appearances can often be deceiving. A recent OpinionWay survey shows that 18-24 year olds in France are particularly sensitive to sustainable food. Improving the living conditions of farmers, preserving the environment and vegetarianism are among the topics they would like to work on. And this, much more than their elders. decryption.
For sustainable food, young people are “hotter than the climate”, to use the slogan of the Youth for Climate movement. This at least suggests a new OpinionWay study, conducted for Calif*, in which 18- to 24-year-olds were surveyed about their various concerns and consumption habits. The research, published two weeks before the opening of the Paris Agricultural Show (February 26 – March 6), shows that French young people are particularly aware of the environmental and social issues at stake.
A generation that is willing to pay more for sustainable and fair products
To understand this, applications that indicate the nutritional value of our foods are a good example. When they go shopping, young people are more interested than all other age groups in the indication of the share of the price of the product that goes to the producers. According to the survey, they are 45% against 39% for the over-65s. In the same dynamic, they also want to know the ecological impact of their food purchases (44% versus 30% for the over-65s).
The 18-24 year olds are also most aware of farmers’ daily difficulties. Indeed, 29% of respondents believe they are not being paid at fair value, while their seniors aged 65 and over think only 11%. Despite their recent start in working life, for the most part they are also willing to put their hands in their wallets to shake things up. More than three quarters (76%) of the 18-24 year olds surveyed, or even 65 and older, are willing to pay more for food from French production. Almost as many (72%) of them share this opinion, so that the farmers receive a fairer salary.
For the planet, young people want to make their plates greener
Like the other age groups who primarily prefer local and seasonal products as vectors of tomorrow’s food, the younger generation also prefers natural products before thinking about buying organic (80% for natural against 65% for organic). But unlike their elderly – and it’s no surprise, they are more attuned to the new eating habits by sticking to them. Tomorrow it will be flexitarians (58% against 34% of the over-65s), vegetarians (34% against 4%), but also vegans (34% against 2%), for ecological and social reasons.
*This study was conducted on a sample of 1 016 people representative of the French population aged 18 and over, interviewed from 2 to 3 February 2022.
(ETX Daily Up)