Beware ‘peak protein’

Are we on the brink of a backlash against high-protein diets?

That is the conclusion suggested by new research from Datamonitor, which predicts consumers will turn aware from high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets “within five years” as they become more aware of the “dangers” to health caused by lack of fibre.

Young adults are the most likely to be pursuing a high-protein diet, and while Datamonitor doesn’t think young consumers will abandon these diets immediately they are likely to start seeking out products that offer both protein and fibre as digestive concerns become more apparent.

In the longer term, Datamonitor predicts a more general shift away from diets that single out specific food groups, with consumers predicted to take a more “back to basics” approach to eating and seeking out natural, unprocessed whole foods across all the major food groups.

There are some potentially important lessons for the food industry in these findings. Firstly, if fibre is going to become a big concern, the relentless pursuit of protein – which is being added to everything from bagels to cereal at the moment – could soon run out of steam in its current form.

Instead, manufacturers may need to think about delivering products that offer a balance of protein and fibre, and promoting them with messages that ease concerns over digestive health.

Secondly, the industry should sit up and take note of the warning that consumers will soon start shifting away from diets that single out particular food groups and towards balanced eating with an emphasis on ‘natural’ and ‘unprocessed’.

While the news that shoppers might move away from being scared of individual food groups will be welcome to anyone who has been caught up in the fight against sugar and fat, the “back to basics” approach will come with its own challenges, particularly for makers of foods perceived as heavily processed.

Datamonitor’s research also suggests labels are likely to face further scrutiny in the future. It would be wise for brands to start scrutinising their own labels, therefore, and think about how well positioned their products would be if we start seeing a serious backlash against ‘processed’ food.