Are food trends going retro?

Nostalgia and heritage marketing has entered the food and drink market with renewed vigour in 2009. We take a look at how people’s tastes are heading back in time…

Going 'retro' is being used as a way to tap into the recessionary-induced emotional eating trend, and as a way to introduce new products which have proven demand and high consumer awareness, but which do not require a huge investment in development.

Recent products being introduced on a nostalgia platform have already ratcheted up several hundred million pounds worth of UK retail sales.

Whilst the recession has proven a boon for frozen foods, own label and home baking goods as consumers down-trade and go back to basics, it is also heightening nostalgia for the past and highlighting the importance of traditional values.

Cadbury's Wispa and Bird's Eye Arctic Roll and Steakhouse brands are examples of major brands tapping into this trend.

The use of heritage marketing has also proliferated in this environment (e.g. Guinness's 250th anniversary, Premier Food's Hovis advertising, Sainsbury's and M&S anniversaries).

Nostalgia also fits in well with one of the biggest marketing shifts affecting the food and drinks industry - the ageing consumer base.

However, people's tastes change and there was usually a reason why a product was discontinued (i.e. it didn't sell well) and so often bringing back brands for the sake of it fails e.g. Cadbury Aztec bar from the 1960s and 1970s was re-launched in 1999 but did not take off.

Identifying which product is ripe for revival is therefore the real challenge. The increasing requirement for 'clean labels' will also often necessitate changes to product formulation, i.e. re-launching on a no additive/preservative platform.

The way products are advertised and marketed has also changed dramatically but mediums such as online marketing appear to suit old brands - it was social networking sites that brought back Wispa and there is big business in online selling of retro sweets and other products.

To explore this topic further, visit Leatherhead Food Research's Nostalgia Trends in Food & Drink conference.

Speakers include representatives from AC Nielsen, Premier Foods, Marks & Spencer, Interbrand and Holmes & Marchant, as well as Leatherhead Food Research's own experts.

The event is being held at the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising on the 4th November 2009.

For further details please contact Chris Brockman: cbrockman@leatherheadfood.com, Tel: +44 (0)1372 376761

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