The word “hedonism” is derived from the Greek term “hedonismos,” which has two distinct parts. “Hedone” means pleasure, and the suffix “ismos” refers to a system, a school, or a way of understanding things, but also a quality. The etymology of the word serves as an excuse for us to better understand how the concept of food hedonism today refers to a complex set of drivers.
There is a series of factors merged with the concept of food hedonism that guide the decision-making of today’s consumer. The consumer seeks pleasure, yes, but to evaluate its levels, they prioritize food products that: possess healthy qualities, are suitable to meet certain personal dietary needs, and those that evoke specific sensations intimately linked to taste and pleasure.
What factors guide hedonic purchasing in food?
Consumer drivers are not immutable. On the contrary, they undergo transformations, giving rise to different trends that affect food innovation.
Food hedonism and health: the evolution towards healthy eating
The magazine “Food and Drink: Six Top Trends to Dominate the Food Industry of 2025” asserts that “food is a fun fuel.” According to the survey from the Food City conference, only 9% of the foods we consume are chosen without any connotation related to pleasure, convenience, or how we feel when eating them.
Currently, the concepts of food hedonism and health are increasingly intertwined. As analyzed in the article “Food: ‘Natural and Healthy’ Will Shape the Development of New Products in 2016,” consumers are fully aware of the relationship between diet and health. As a consequence, they seek out foods that incorporate easily recognizable natural ingredients and reserve a spot in their shopping basket for food products that have clean labels, such as “free-from” or “reduced-content” (allergens, E numbers, salt, fats, sugar, etc.). And this applies even to products classified as hedonic.
Food hedonism and flavor: focus of gourmet or premium
We cannot forget that in the formula of the concept of “food hedonism,” the sensory properties of food hold significant value, especially taste. This quality is decisive when choosing the foods we consume. This was affirmed by a consumer panel conducted by Consumolab last summer, in which 97.3% of respondents admitted that taste is the most important factor when purchasing a food product.
As a result, today’s consumer tends to seek out new textures that surprise them and appreciates gourmet or premium foods. They value all of this in relation to the quality of their ingredients, health care, as well as taste and the different sensations that the food evokes. To delve deeper into this aspect, we invite you to read the article “Hedonism and Food: Trends Followed by the Industry for the Launch of New Products.” (spanish)
Food hedonism and indulgence: new product niches
When we talk about food hedonism and indulgence, we are referring to those food products designed to indulge the consumer, but at the same time, provide a health benefit that justifies their consumption.
The food industry is facing a challenge of innovation that combines the concepts of “indulgence and health.” Pure pleasure for the sake of pleasure has less space in the current conception of food hedonism. Therefore, it is essential to offer consumers healthier alternatives to these types of food products, which, in turn, serve as an excuse for indulgence. Some examples include functional candies, candies with concentrated vitamin C, chocolates with defatted cocoa, purer and with an extra calcium content, or the emergence of flavored water.
If your company is interested in innovating with products that align with the current concept of “food hedonism,” AINIA can assist you.
