With a third of all global emissions coming from the food system, effort is needed to respond to this climate change challenge. Over half of Irish consumers asked (51%) * now claim to actively look for and purchase sustainably produced food products with almost nine in 10 (87%) believing producers should be supported to be as sustainable as possible.
The findings* are revealed in research as part of Nestlé’s KitKat Breaks for Good campaign in Ireland spotlighting the importance of quality production and the integral role of cocoa farming families in the iconic KitKat chocolate treat.
To date, over 30,000 cocoa-farming families are supported through Nestlé’s Income Accelerator Programme** which builds on longstanding work of the Nestlé Cocoa Plan. The global sustainability initiative aims to close the living income gap of cocoa farming families through four main pillars – school enrolment, good agricultural practices, agroforestry and income diversification. By 2030, it aims to reach an estimated 160,000 cocoa farming families in Nestlé’s supply chain.
The research findings show a difference among the generations with sustainability front of mind for almost half (48%) of 25-34-year-olds. It finds that this cohort attribute greater enjoyment of a favourite chocolate treat with how sustainably it is produced- in contrast to a little over a fifth (21%) of 65+ year olds. Those aged 18-35 years (63%) said the provenance of items in their grocery basket was important, in contrast to over one in 10 of 45-54 years (16%).
A little over seven in 10 (71%) say they take small, practical, everyday actions such as seeking out ethically sourced goods as part of personal environmental commitments.
Maria McKenna, Confectionery Marketing Manager, Nestlé Ireland said,
“For Irish people it's clear from the research findings that trying to be a more “conscious consumer” is front-of-mind. The research shows that Irish people are attuned to the impact of committing to taking sustainability actions daily and how this contributes in a positive manner to the environment. Over eight in 10 Irish consumers (85%) believe that being aware and informed of the environmental sustainability of the products they use is a key element of living sustainably.
“Consumers also want brands to support producers to be as sustainable as possible. At Nestlé UK&I, we are using fully traceable and responsibly sourced cocoa in all our Nestlé Ireland chocolate brands as part of the Income Accelerator Programme, something we know resonates strongly with our consumers.
“Building on the Nestlé Cocoa Plan, the innovative new Income Accelerator programme has been created to further address the challenges faced by cocoa-farming communities, with a clear focus on closing the living income gap of cocoa-farming families. At the same time, it strives to advance better agriculture practices and promote gender equality, empowering women as agents for positive change in their communities. The programme provides incentives for cocoa-farming families to enrol their children in school, implement good agricultural practices and engage in agroforestry activities.
“KitKat Breaks for Good highlights the importance of supporting cocoa producing farm families at source, working together to continuously raise the bar for one of our most important ingredients.
“Among the many wonderful things about KitKat, aside from its delicious taste, is the fact that it is associated with having a well-deserved break. Irish people can sit back and enjoy it even more knowing that the cocoa-farming families who play a key role in its production are supported to improve their incomes and the sustainability of production.”
