According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Hispanic demographic represents a full 16% of the total U.S. population, and is growing more than three times the rate of other ethnic groups. For retailers, it’s a consumer segment that presents tremendous opportunities in the area of health and wellness.
Hispanic consumers need some guidance. Statistics compiled by The NPD Group for its new benchmark It’s Mealtime with U.S. Hispanics study found that more than 70% of Spanish language-dominant adults are overweight or obese, compared to 60% for English-dominant or non-Hispanic adults.
An interesting challenge that the marketers of wellness products and services face in wooing Hispanics is overcoming cultural perceptions, particularly in the way this group of consumers looks at food.
NPD researchers found that many subgroups (those foreign-born or Spanish-dominant) define nutrition not only in terms of quality, but quantity, too. So, for instance, filling and eating everything on your plate is a sign of robust health. In other words, a hearty appetite is just as important as putting that salad, or those green beans, on the plate. READ MORE
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