19 Aug 2020
- The coronavirus outbreak has had a profound impact on consumers, changing how they live, what they eat and how they purchase. To understand these changes in behaviour and to offer our customers in-depth insights, Puratos is conducting consumer surveys around the world to discover how bakery categories will need to adapt and evolve to meet future consumer needs in the ‘new normal’.
-
In mid-June 2020, Puratos conducted a consumer survey on the impact of the coronavirus in Malaysia. How have the needs for bakery items evolved for Malaysian consumers? What are their key criteria when buying bakery products, which items do they value most, and how do they prefer to buy them?
Taste, freshness, hygiene and price
When purchasing bakery items, taste and freshness remain very important criteria for Malaysian consumers, confirming the results of the latest Taste Tomorrow research. Price and hygiene are very important as well. The guarantee of hygiene is especially important for Malay-speaking consumers. The importance of healthiness is growing, with consumers increasingly looking for food that bolsters their health & immunity.
Winning bakery products
The product preferences of Malaysian consumers are evolving. The corona crisis is expected to boost sales of products that are:
-
• Healthy: breads with more grains and proteins, and high in fibre, and cakes with more fruits and less sugar are topping consumers' wish lists to improve their diet.
-
• Sustainable
-
• Local, considered more trustworthy.
-
• Affordable, as 70% of Malaysian families will pay more attention to the amount spent on food
-
• Packed
Winning sales channels
Purchasing behaviours are also changing, and online is expected to attract more bakery shoppers after the crisis. 5+8% of Malaysian consumers agree that all stores and restaurants should be able to deliver at home.
Home baking
While staying at home during the lockdown, 74% of Malaysian consumers were home baking. The benefits they see are clear: home baking is considered healthier, it gives them control over the ingredients and allows them to save money. Malaysian home bakers use mixes (56%) and/or bake from scratch (81%) and prefer to purchase their ingredients in supermarkets.
