As I write this piece, it’s just about to hit 33ºC in Cambridge. The heat we’re experiencing is a side-effect from Storm Debby, which shifted the position of the jet stream and sent much warmer air our way.

Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, and I’m intrigued by the different ways that they affect the food and beverage sector. Innovia Technology has a lot to say about managing the impacts of climate change on food production, but today I’d like to explore the impact on food demand.

It is well-known that changes in weather can substantially affect sales of consumer goods – when the weather heats up we buy more soft drinks, more suncare products, more ice cream. Successful companies have long used weather-based marketing to maximise these shifts in consumer behaviour.

But I find myself wondering about how consumers feel about their heat-induced impulsive food choices? In the moment that ice-cold soda is so refreshing, but should I drink it every time the sun comes out? Will my iced coffee just give me an ice-cream headache? Is that barbecued steak making climate change even worse? Over time will consumers become more aware of these tensions? If they do, what sorts of food and drink products will they be looking for?

More importantly, changes in weather patterns, alongside climate, will create new problems for consumers. Staying hydrated in hot weather, maintaining a healthy and nutritious diet when it is too hot to cook, making sure that children and elderly loved ones eat and drink properly in the heat… And of course, consumers will continue to care about the climate impact of the foods they are choosing.

Some people will say that there are already good solutions for all of these problems. Most involve carrying a bottle of water, preparing food from scratch and eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. But we know that, as with diet and health more broadly, it is never that simple. The drivers of human behaviour are complex and we need to take into account the practical challenges, the knowledge and the motivators that contribute to how consumers respond to very hot weather.

In Innovia’s view there are interesting opportunities to create solutions for these challenges that don’t compromise on cost, convenience or taste, but do help everyone to thrive, even when the temperature spikes.

If you’d like to know more of our thoughts on all things at the intersection of food and weather, please get in touch.

hsc_food@innoviatech.com
Helen Clubb – LinkedIn