• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, November 10, 2014

When it comes to how Americans ingest news about food, there are six distinct segments based on demographics, psychographics and reported behavior, according to a new analysis included in the 2014 edition of Hunter PR's annual Food News Study.

Traditionalists:  This largest segment, at 29% of the population, comprises mostly Gen-X and Boomer consumers. Their mean age is 51, and 63% are 45 or older. This group is the most likely to feel they need to lose weight (50%), and they tend to rely on national brands as opposed to store brands (28%). While they may be posting about their families on Facebook, when it comes to getting general food news and information, they are low users of social media. They're the highest users of newspapers among the segments, and also rely fairly heavily on television and magazines.  

TV-Focused Boomers: This is the oldest segment, and makes up14% of the population. They rely on television twice as much as any other medium when it comes to food news. Nearly two-thirds (65%) look for food news via the evening TV news and 54% via the morning news.

Non-Social Web Surfers: This group also makes up 14% of the population. Most are female, and they do nearly all of the cooking/
shopping in their households. They're the least loyal to national (versus store) brands, and are fairly heavily influenced by food news (54% have changed their behavior as a result of such news). 

They are more rational/less emotional, and more goal-oriented in how they use media for food information, than other segments. They rely on Web sites for general food news more than any other segment (84%), including news sites (60%) and health or medical sites (30%), and they are heavy readers of digital newspapers. They're also least likely to feel that there is too much conflicting information about food and nutrition/health: 45% of this segment feels that way, versus fully 49% among the total population.

Social Entertainment Seekers: Are 12% of the population, the youngest segment (Gen X and Gen Y), skewed toward females, and "an emerging purchasing powerhouse," according to the researchers. They're the most likely to have children in the household, and two-thirds have changed their behavior as a result of food news. They are more drawn to convenience over health than any other segment, and nearly half are trying to save money on groceries. 

In general, they are heavy users of blogs, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter. They seek to connect with others through food, and are the most engaged across all social media in sharing recipes and nutrition information. But for general food news, 73% still rely on TV, and 55% on newspapers, although they are also the most likely to read blogs for food news.

Multi-Media Foodies: These consumers are just 7% of the population, but they are influential, have the highest income, and are the most likely to change behavior as a result of food news. They are very health-oriented, and they are paying more attention to ingredients lists, and eating less processed food. They are the most likely to seek organic foods, and they're striving to eat and cook more often at home.

In general, they consume both traditional and new media. They are voracious consumers of food news and information, and rely about equally on TV and Web sites as their top sources of general food news. They also rely on magazines and radio for food news than any other segment. 

Media Averse: This is the second-largest (23%) segment, and mostly male. They are the lowest-income segment, have the lowest interest in food-related information, and in eating healthfully, and are least likely to change behavior as a result of food news. TV is their top source for general food news (37%), while 20% mention newspapers as a source for food news. 

The Broader Picture 

Looking at the broader results across survey respondents, television remains the leading source for general food news (59%), followed by newspapers and Web Sites (tied at 45%), radio (35%), magazines (33%), social media (26%), direct mail or newsletters (24%), blogs (19%) and books or cookbooks (12%).

Women are more likely to access television, magazines, social media and direct mail for general food information. Those 40 and under are more likely to rely on social media and blogs, while those over 40 are more likely to use newspapers, radio and television. 

Web sites are now slightly ahead of cookbooks as sources of recipes, at 57% and 56%, respectively. Magazines follow at 48%. Television, social media and direct mail/newsletters are tied at 27%, followed by newspapers (21%) and blogs (17%).

For information about nutrition, Web sites lead (47%), followed by magazines and television (tied at 35%). 

The online survey was conducted among 1,002 American adults; the sample was balanced to the U.S Census on age, race and region, with quotas set for representation by gender. A full summary of the survey is available on the Hunter PR site.

"Couple in Kitchen looking at recipe on the Web" photo from Shutterstock.