Consumers Seek Kosher for Quality, Healthfulness and Safety: Report

CHICAGO — Only 14% of kosher food eaters purchase kosher food because they follow kosher religious rules, according to the findings of new research by Mintel here.

More than three in five (62%) kosher consumers seek kosher items because of their quality, followed by attributes such as “general healthfulness” (51%) and food safety (34%). Another 10% buy kosher because they follow some other religious rules with eating restrictions similar to kosher.

“Kosher food has gained the reputation of being more carefully produced and thoroughly inspected than non-kosher food,” said Marcia Mogelonsky, senior analyst at Mintel, in a statement. “With recent food safety scares causing people to rethink even the most familiar food products, we can expect more adults to turn to kosher food as a way to ensure food safety and quality.”

Sales of kosher food totaled $12.5 billion last year, representing a 64% increase since 2003. Thirteen percent of the 2,500 adults polled for the study said they intentionally purchase kosher foods. The choices made available to them continue to grow. The Mintel Global New Products Database reports that 28% of new food and drink products launched in the U.S. last year bore a kosher symbol.

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