Market research company Euromonitor International has released new research examining the total amount of nutrients purchased per-person per day through packaged food and soft drinks products. The data, available in Euromonitor’s Passport: Nutrition database, tracks energy, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugar, salt, protein and fibre in 54 countries globally.
According to the new research, the world buys 1.5 trillion calories a day, with the average global consumer purchasing 765 calories each day through packaged food and soft drinks. While this seems low, given the recommended intake is around 2000 for an adult, it is a global average. Countries in North America and Western Europe purchase over 1500 calories, with India at 150 calories per day and China at 510, respectively.
“Despite over 40% of the global population being overweight and obese, our nutrition data shows that by 2019 the world will purchase 90 calories more a day,” says Lauren Bandy, nutrition analyst at Euromonitor International. “This analysis helps address rising concerns surrounding nutritional value in food while building a picture of what people eat in different countries.”
Mexico buys the most calories a day with 1928 calories per person, which is 380 calories more than the US. The additional 380 calories is the equivalent of an extra slice of pizza per person every day in Mexico. Germany buys nearly twice as much fat per capita per day than Japan, and France purchases more calories from bread each day than India does from packaged food and soft drinks combined.
“Understanding how packaged food and soft drink brands contribute to the total purchase of nutrients by category and country helps address the rising concern of nutritional value in food,” concluded Bandy.
The Passport: Nutrition database depicts a brand’s contribution to the purchase of nutritional content around the world, identifying the contents of the world’s diet and the impact each nutrient, such as salt, has on our diets. The data allows companies and governments to understand consumers’ taste and food preferences around the world.
New Zealand nutrition facts
In 2014 the nutrients per person per day from retail sales of packaged foods and soft drinks in New Zealand (consumer foodservice and fresh foods are excluded) were as follows.
Energy (kcal) 1,352
Protein (grams) 36
Carbohydrate (grams) 163
Sugar (grams) 83
Fat (grams) 60
Saturated Fat (grams) 26
Fibre (grams) 9
Salt (grams) 4
