SANA, the long-established exhibition dedicated to organic and natural products, evolves and deepens insights and initiatives with strong social and environmental relevance. The keystone will be 2025: from 23 to 25 February, the 36th edition of the International Exhibition of Organic and Natural Products will take the form of SANA Food, a new immersive and dynamic concept focusing on healthy eating, out-of-home consumption and other topical issues, to offer companies, buyers and trade visitors a unique journey through organic food, green excellence, natural products, emerging trends and cutting-edge technologies.
As a reference point for producers, distributors, and retailers of organic, biodynamic, vegetarian, plant- based, and free-from products, as well as foods for athletes, third age, and children, or those with allergies, intolerances, or those who have adopted a particular dietary regime, SANA Food will offer an all-round view of the concept of healthy eating, with space for the latest culinary trends, as well as the many PDO, PGI, and SGT foods that are commonly found on our tables.
To read, profile and, when possible, anticipate the needs of consumers interested in this type of proposal, SANA Food is launching the 100 Healthy Days Survey project, designed to provide food and Horeca operators with an in-depth analysis of the purchasing intentions of the Italian and international population. 100 Healthy Days marks the start of a consumer survey, unprecedented in Italy, which, through SANA Food, will open up a direct dialogue with consumers and enable to interpret market trends and developments with greater awareness.
New for the 2025 edition, the survey is an innovative tool to better understand the end customer and their consumption preferences
Produced in collaboration with Channel Marketing Company, LightUp Italia! Claudia Maccarini and Toluna Group, the survey aims to offer a snapshot of the main transformations taking place, based on a survey conducted for 100 days, twice a year (in spring-summer and autumn-winter), on 4,000 selected consumers.
The subject of the survey are the ideas, suggestions and out-of-home consumption behaviour regarding the concept of a healthy lifestyle on the part of 3,000 Italian and 1,000 Danish customers, thus comparing the choices and preferences of two culturally distant countries.
100 Healthy Days, preview in pills
The first months of the survey show an attentive and increasingly aware consumer, as can be seen from the data compiled to date.
Healthy lifestyle: pleasure or duty?
According to what has emerged so far, Italians associate healthy lifestyle with a positive meaning: they identify it with attention to one's own health and wellbeing, translating it into a form of balance between body and mind and an idea of contact with nature. However, one in two people believe that this type of choice implies the observance of rules and control. Confirming a certain tendency to deviate, 80% of those surveyed say they adopt a healthy lifestyle, but admit to indulging in occasional indulgences.
The Danes also have a very positive view of the healthy lifestyle: in general, they identify it with good behaviour, which ensures more balance, energy and health. Although in Denmark they associate it less with the idea of discipline, only 65% claim to follow it on a daily basis.
More concretely, in Italy a healthy lifestyle manifests itself in attention to diet (73%) and exercise (72%), while in Denmark, in addition to diet (85%), taking food supplements (33%) is relevant. Sixty-two per cent of Danes associate a healthy lifestyle with time spent resting and 50% with hobbies, while in Italy the focus is on increased water consumption (67%) and reducing alcohol consumption (62%). Significantly, in both countries, more than half of those following a healthy lifestyle say they have been doing so for more than three years, confirming a trend that is being consolidated.
Different targets for different healthy lifestyles
There are four targets into which the Observatory panel is divided:
- Silver (over 56): the largest group, with a strong propensity to spend and a good cultural level. Lovers of travel and technology, the Silver demonstrate an excellent spirit of adaptation and a moderate use of social networks.
- Contemporary (40-55 years old): they are the second largest group. They have a good cultural level and a more prudent propensity to spend, due to a lower income than the Silver. They are digital and social.
- Young (30-39 years old): similar to Millennials, they are 2.0 consumers, buy mainly online and have an international culture. They are very social, share experiences online and use English daily.
- Super Teen (18-29 years): generation born and raised in the digital age. Always connected, they consider the web and social an integral part of their lives. They are digitally open to the world, but also more exposed to unverified information.
In Italy, although with slightly different percentages, all targets associate the healthy lifestyle with the concepts of health, well-being and balance. The Silver and Contemporary also associate it with the idea of time spent in nature and in the open air, while the Young and Super Teen favour attention to body and mind care.
In both countries, all identified targets associate healthy lifestyle with something positive. In Italy, the Silver and Contemporary associate it with health, well-being, balance and time in nature; the Young and Super Teen also seem to recognise the importance of mind and body care. In Denmark, the healthy lifestyle is seen as a virtuous example to follow, with a strong focus on well-being among the Silver, Contemporary and Young. For the Danish Super Teens, it is synonymous, first and foremost, with taking care of the body.
Healthy eating: a matter of perspective
Almost all people surveyed in Italy and Denmark associate the healthy lifestyle with a healthy diet and about 70% say they are committed to it.
In Italy, this means preferring seasonal fruit and vegetables, natural or organic food and exercising careful control over ingredients to avoid additives, preservatives, GMOs and harmful fats. In Denmark, healthy food means health benefits, i.e. foods naturally rich in vitamins, minerals and Omega 3, as well as organic and natural products.
While 49% of interviewees in Italy associate healthy eating with the Mediterranean diet, only 17% of Danes share this opinion. In Denmark, 19% consider plant-based foods healthy compared to 7% of Italians.
The data collected in the first 100 Healthy Days also show other cultural differences. The majority of Italians surveyed understand the meaning of expressions and words such as zero km, sustainable agriculture, organic, vegan, vegetarian and controlled supply chain. In Denmark, the term plant-based is widespread, while the other terms are less well known. In particular:
- Controlled supply chain and certainty of origin: well understood by 84% of Italians, but only by 54% of Danes.
- Zero km products: recognised by 89% of Italians, compared to 54% of Danes.
- Halal products: known to 36% of Italians and 76% of Danes.
- Enriched, free or low-content foods: more recognised in Italy than in Denmark.
The data that have emerged so far will be compared with the observations made in the next period, with the aim of highlighting any differences and emerging trends. The final output of the 100 Healthy Days Survey will be unveiled in its entirety at SANA Food, with more to come in the coming months.
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