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01 / 05
India’s Average Household Food Spending Falls Dramatically

Business Standard | Food Prices

India’s Average Household Food Spending Falls Dramatically

“According to the paper, the share of total household expenditure on food has declined substantially in rural and urban areas across all states and UTs.

‘It is the first time in modern India (post-independence) that average household spending on food is less than half the overall monthly spending of households and is a marker of significant progress,’ it said.

The paper is a comprehensive analysis of the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2022/23 and comparison with 2011/12.

‘Overall, there has been a significant increase in households’ average monthly per capita expenditure across rural and urban India across all states and UTs,’ the paper said, adding that the magnitude of the rise is substantial but varies across states and regions.”

From Business Standard.

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business | Food Consumption

GLP-1 Adoption Is Changing Consumer Food Demand

“We examine how consumers modify their food demand after adopting appetite-suppressing GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as Ozempic and Wegovy. Using survey responses on medication adoption and timing linked to transaction data from a representative U.S. household panel, we document the prevalence, motivations, and demographic patterns of GLP-1 adoption. Households with at least one GLP-1 user reduce grocery spending by 5.5% within six months of adoption, with higher-income households reducing spending by 8.6%. These reductions are driven by large decreases in purchases of calorie-dense, processed items, including an 11% decline in savory snacks. While most food categories see spending declines, spending on nutrient-dense options, such as yogurt and fresh produce, shows directionally positive but statistically insignificant changes. We also find an 8.6% decline in spending at fast-food chains, coffee shops, and limited-service restaurants.”\

From Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.

Axios | Nutrition

Fast Food Consumption Decreased, CDC Data Shows

“Kids ages 2 through 19 consumed an average of 11.4% of their daily calories from fast food on a given day between August 2021 and August 2023, according to data from the CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

  • That’s down from an average of nearly 14% in 2013 and 2014, per CDC data.
  • For adults age 20 and up, average calories from fast food fell from about 14% in 2013 and 2014 to 11.7% during mid-2021 to mid-2023.
  • Food reported as “restaurant fast food/pizza” on survey responses was considered fast food for these analyses, CDC’s data brief said.

Zoom out: About 30% of youth ages 2 through 19 ate fast food on any given day between August 2021 and 2023. That figure exceeded 36% between 2015 and 2018, CDC found.”

From Axios.

Asia News Network | Malnutrition

Stunting Declines in Indonesia

“The Health Ministry has reported a decline in the national stunting rate among children, from 21.5 percent in 2023 to 19.8 percent last year…

Although the 19.8 percent prevalence is 0.3 percentage points lower than the 2024 target set by the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), it still represents an estimated 4.48 million newborns and infants affected by stunting, including around 925,000 new cases last year.”

From Asia News Network.

World Bank | Food Prices

Global Food Prices Ease amid Improved Supply and Trade

“Global grain supplies are projected to reach a record 3.6 billion tons in the 2025-26 season, marking a third consecutive year of growth—though at a slower pace than the average annual growth of the preceding two decades. Wheat supply has returned to its long-term average growth rate, while maize supply has rebounded after recent setbacks but remains below its historical trend. In contrast, supplies of rice and soybeans are projected to grow at about their long-term growth averages, building on last season’s significantly elevated levels.”

From World Bank.