Some 75% of consumers globally made an effort to buy more sustainably produced food and drink in the last year, according to Bord Bia research.

The organisation’s agricultural sustainability sector manager Michael Houlihan said that within this, 43% of consumers say evidence of such sustainability is “very important” or “essential” when grocery shopping.

He explained that “people’s definition of sustainably produced food will differ based on where they are in the world” and that Bord Bia is trying to get a grasp of this consumer sentiment.

“The fact that so many are making that effort to buy sustainably produced food, it really indicates the significance of being able to have really strong [sustainability] proof points.”

In a Bord Bia survey of international food buyers, 72% said it’s “really important” to have suppliers with strong sustainability credentials and 64% said sustainability is an “important aspect” of their role.

Buyers are moving this way “more and more” according to Houlihan, as sourcing from sustainable food producers is now an important factor in many buyers’ performance reviews.

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75% of global consumers opting for sustainable food – Bord Bia

The sustainability of food is now becoming an increasingly important factor for international food buyers, says Bord Bia.