Mintel in the Media – this week's highlights

This week we have a bumper edition of Mintel in the news, with a fortnight’s coverage in one issue. Our chocolate and germ phobia releases both proved to be huge hits featuring in the world wide media.

Starting in the UK, with chocolate, the kind you spread on bread, which featured in the bank holiday weekend edition of the Mail on Sunday and The Sun. Our Senior Food Analyst Amy Lloyd said the growth in chocolate spread sales was being led by supermarkets bringing out more variants. She said: ‘In the past year alone, Sainsburys launched a popping candy chocolate spread, ASDA launched a white chocolate version and Morrisons launched a white and milk chocolate swirl spread. ‘Retailers are piquing consumer interest with these new flavours and encouraging experimentation from consumers.’

Still with chocolate, but this time Easter eggs, our latest global chocolate press release hit the headlines in the Retail Times the research talked about how global Easter egg product launches have increased by 45% this year. The same research was featured in Confectionery News and Marketresearchworld and Foodstuffsa in South Africa all of which quoted Mintel’s Marcia Mogelonsky.

Our Senior leisure analyst Micheal Oliver was asked to comment on leisure spend over the bank holiday. Micheal was featured on the extremely high profile BBC News where he said that as people feel the pinch, prices of attractions and days out become more important. “Around two-fifths of people are cutting back on their leisure spending at the moment. One of the key aspects is that they are looking for value for money,” he says.”Around three-quarters say they are always on the lookout for deals. So if attractions want to keep their customers, that is what they really need to focus on.”

Still with the bank holiday, but this time in an article talking about garden sheds, Mintel’s Richard Perks was quoted in the Mail on Sunday where he said sectors that attracted older shoppers tended to be better insulated because those consumers tended to be mortgage – free and benefited from a stable income based on traditional, cast-iron pensions. ‘It’s an odd market and very much one that is stronger with older people who don’t otherwise spend a lot of money in shops on the High Street,’ he said.

Finally, our germ phobia release proved to be a real hit this Easter, featuring in a number of publications including the Daily Mail and Netdoctor which quoted Richard Caines “‘A clean home environment improves people’s sense of wellbeing and reduces anxiety, even more so at a time when incomes are being squeezed and less money is available for going out.’ The same research was highlighted in aol.co.uk the Scotsman, HousewaresLive.net, African Seer and French Tribune.

On to other news, the popularity of food with natural formulations was the subject of interest in Dairy Industries International in an article titled “Natures’ bounty,” Mintel analysis found that up to 60 per cent of consumers in Europe prefer food and beverages with natural formulations to avoid artificial ingredients. Worldwide, over 17 per cent of total new product launches had a natural, additive- or preservative-free positioning in 2011. Meanwhile, our Czech republic drinks data was quoted Bloomberg Business Week in an article titled Molson Coors Attacks Craft Armada With $3.5 Billion Deal.

Meanwhile, news of our new Chinese report series got some great coverage in The Times business section, looking at how China’s bulging shopping basket offers increased incentive for foreign giants.

On a more relaxing note, our senior consumer analyst Michelle Strutton was quoted in European Spa where she said facial therapies continue to take top billing: “Facial skincare remains a vital weapon in women’s appearance improvement and maintenance armoury. ” While our destinations wedding research was featured in articledashboard.com. The Daily Telegraph quoted Mintel’s Turkey consultancy research in an article titled “The Truth behind the tourism boom.”

Finally, Mintel’s Michelle Strutton featured in The Times newspaper no less than three times in one paper with insight and analysis into the fragrance market in the UK – a market Mintel predicts to rise 45% over the next five years.

Over in Italy our research on body insecurities was quoted in Vogue in an article titled “Pancia piatta forever.” Still in Italy Industria Alimenticia featured Mintel’s gluten free data. While in France Food Navigator Asia talked about PepsiCo striking innovation alliance with a Chinese beverage firm. Our energy drinks data was featured in Spain in revistaialimentos.co

Over in Asia, Stevia continues to be a hot topic, Mintel’s sweetener data was quoted in MSN in India “A natural sweetener to savour,” the website, quoting Mintel’s Global New Products Database, reports that 56 products with monk fruit extracts have been launched globally since 2002. Will monk fruit replace stevia? There’s no sign of a craze yet, but FoodNavigator.com predicts it is an emerging natural sweetener. The same story was quoted in India Today.

And over in the US press office it’s been a very busy two weeks. The coverage began with a slew of articles in Private Label Buyer–about vegetable sales and consumption, non-alcoholic beverages, private label condiments, non-chocolate confectionery, shelf-stable food, color cosmetics, haircare, household cleaning products, lunch meat, ice cream and pies.

Next up, The Chicago Tribune used data from our Men’s Attitudes Toward Clothes Shopping news release for a story about male fashion trends, similar consumer insight appeared in a Men’s Health article about finding the perfect spring coat and our outlook of the foodservice industry was referenced in a Wall Street Journal piece. We were also featured in two Nutraceuticals World articles–one about dietary supplements and the other focused on the gluten-free food market.

Meanwhile, The San Francisco Chronicle and MediaPost Marketing Daily included Vivienne Rudd’s commentary on the Avon/Coty partnership and Forbes cited Mintel Comperemedia’s observations about recent credit card offers while Fox Business used Compere numbers for a story about gas credit cards.

Another big press win came from our Easter chocolate news release. The story was covered extensively, and was picked up Gourmet News, Candy & Snack Today, MediaPost Marketing Daily, Canadian Grocer, Convenience Store News and CSP Magazine.

Also of note, Bloomberg Businessweek sought out our beer consumption data for a story about Molson Coors and Gary Wooley’s insight into the single-premium income annuity market was covered by Insurance News Net.

Closing out the week, we were featured in the Chicago Tribune for a story about free-from foods and QSR Magazine utilized our Mintel Menu Insights data about the popularity of citrus on restaurant menus in recent years while Happi covered our Black Haircare report and The New York Times referenced our insight into the kosher food market.

Meanwhile in Singapore our fizzy drinks story continues to make a buzz, this time featuring in Food and Beverage Asia the story discussed how Chinese Consumers are looking for additive-free drinks, but Manufacturers are slow to respond.

Comperemedia was featured in World journal.com the article quoted Comperemedia financial service Director Summer Hani (Anuj Shahani).

Finally in Singapore Yahoo News quote Nica Lewis who said that Western women are now looking towards a more Eastern attitude to tanning. “The market for sunscreens in the East is strong, with China and South Korea projected to experience some of the most robust growth in sun care by 2016. As a result, the innovative new ingredients that manufacturers are using to formulate them are really leading the way for the personal care ingredients industry,” said Lewis.