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The latest research from the group also found that 16% now list the environment “as their main motivator for healthy and sustainable eating”.
The research, based on 1,368 UK consumers surveyed in July, found that 58% were open to changing their eating habits and 39% were now only eating meat twice a week, up from 34% last year.
Mark Little, director of health and sustainability at the IGD, said: “This shows the opportunity for food and drink companies to act now and help consumers turn positive new behaviours into long-term changes to their diets.
“Not only are consumers increasingly willing to change their eating habits for health reasons, but they are also starting to better understand the connection between their diets, the environment and how changing what they eat could impact their own health, as well as the planet’s health.”
The IGD has linked up with the University of Leeds, retailers and manufacturers to try out a series of interventions to see what might shift consumers to long-term dietary change.
The measures include offering healthy recipe cards, making sure healthier products are well signposted and highlighting fruit, vegetables, grains and pulses.
Little said: “From effective marketing and product placement to meal planning and recipe inspiration, there are lots of really practical actions businesses can take to help make sure consumers continue to shift towards healthy and sustainable diets.
“We know from our research that consumers certainly have an appetite to move towards healthier and more sustainable diets; as an industry we all have a role to play in helping encourage this positive behaviour, and if we come together our impact will be much greater.”
