100 Giorni Sani: knowledge and perception of food terms in Italy and Denmark

January 2025

The Osservatorio 100 Giorni Sani (100 Healthy Days Survey), the new SANA Food project, has provided an initial significant picture of the out-of-home consumption of 3,000 Italians and 1,000 Danes, revealing purchasing intentions and motivations. The interviews carried out show a strong association between healthy lifestyle, health and well-being, with a particular focus on a healthy diet based on natural ingredients.

Among the data collected were also those relating to the knowledge and perception of certain terms related to the food sphere, in order to grasp and explore differences and similarities between Italy and Denmark.

KEY INSIGHTS

How well known are certain terms

In Italy and Denmark, terms such as ‘vegan’, ‘organic’ and ‘from sustainable agriculture’ are now quite common, confirming the growing interest in healthier and more conscious lifestyles. However, terms such as ‘plant-based’ and ‘zero/short supply chain’ are known to varying degrees in the two countries and this is reflected in different food trends.

Among the best known terms in Italy are:

• zero km/short supply chain (89%)
• from sustainable agriculture (88%)
• organic (88%)
• vegan (86%)

Among the less familiar ones

• kosher/halal (64%)
• plant based (58%)
• biodynamic (54%)

In Denmark, the most familiar terms are:

• organic (85%)
• plant based (85%)
• vegan (83%)
• sustainable farming (79%)

In contrast, the less familiar ones are:

• kosher (50%)
• controlled supply chain and certainty of origin (46%)
• zero km/short supply chain (46%)

Perception of food terms

In both countries, ‘organic’ and ‘free of’ food is generally viewed positively, whereas ‘enriched with’ or ‘vegan’ products often arouse weaker or stereotypical perceptions. In Denmark, a greater difficulty in finding ‘free of’ or ‘enriched with’ food on the market also emerges.

Other interesting considerations on healthy food

• Organic: in Italy, 45% of respondents think that organic food is healthy and perceive it as ‘the food of the future’, which is good for the body and the planet. At the same time, however, organic is considered expensive. In Denmark, 41% hold the same opinion.
• Free of (e.g. added sugar, nickel): 40% of Italians and 35% of Danes consider this food to be healthy.
• Enriched with (e.g. protein, omega-3): only 12% of Italians consider it healthy, who are sceptical about its real benefits. In Denmark, the percentage is slightly higher (17%), but even this type of product is difficult to find.
• Vegan: it is healthy for 7% of Italians and 8% of Danes. In both countries, vegan food is considered to be limited in variety and unaffordable, and not necessarily synonymous with quality or taste.