Co-creation platform "V Everyone's Ethical Food Lab" holds the 3rd "Food Sustainability Forum 2024"

2025.02.14 Press Releases
CCC MK HOLDINGS Co., Ltd.

-Unraveling the affinity between ethical products and Generation Z, who will become the main consumers of the future-

CCC MK HOLDINGS Co., Ltd. (Head office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Yasunori Takahashi) is working on a co-creation platform called V Everyone's Ethical Food Lab " held the third "Food Sustainability Forum 2024" on Thursday, January 30, 2025.

The Food Sustainability Forum 2024 aims to clarify the consumer value of ethical food by providing information that will lead to suggestions on how to create and communicate consumer value for ethical products based on analysis of V POINT purchasing data and survey results, as well as case studies from various companies. Starting with the first event on Friday, July 19, 2024, a total of four events are planned, with the participation of stakeholders from across industries and sectors, including food manufacturers, distributors, and tech.

About the 3rd Food Sustainability Forum 2024

CCCMK Holdings held the third Food Sustainability Forum 2024 in Shibuya, Tokyo on Thursday, January 30th. A total of 27 people participated from AEON Retail Co., Ltd., ETHICAL EXPO JAPAN General Incorporated Association, Kyodo News Inc., Sagamiya Foods Co., Ltd., Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd., TNC Corporation, Nichirei Foods Inc., NEC Corporation, House Foods Group Inc., House Foods Corporation, Hitachi Solutions Ltd., hootfolio Inc., Mizkan Holdings Inc., and Meiji Holdings Co., Ltd. (listed in alphabetical order).

First, in a presentation titled "How to create and communicate consumer value for ethical products to Generation Z, as seen from overseas examples," TNC Co., Ltd. Director Yuki Kishimoto spoke about the importance of an SDGs perspective in global expansion, and the commonalities between ethical products and services for Generation Z, as seen from advanced examples from overseas.
Next, Shohei Oyama, Group Leader/Data Analyst at the Business Solutions Strategy Division of CCC MK HOLDINGS Co., Ltd., gave a presentation titled "Announcement of Survey Results on the Domestic Dining Scene and Ethical Food of Generation Z." Based on a questionnaire survey of approximately 800 V members, he introduced the current state of ethics among Generation Z and key points for developing products and services to promote ethical food consumption.
Finally, in a presentation titled "Ethical Trends of Generation Z," Naoto Nurino, Representative of ETHICAL EXPO JAPAN, a general incorporated association, shared the growing trend toward ethical consumption among Generation Z in Japan and its current state, using qualitative research from group interviews.


■How to create and communicate consumer value for ethical products to Generation Z, based on overseas examples (excerpts)
TNC Co., Ltd.
Director Yuki Kishimoto

TNC Co., Ltd., which is celebrating its 21st year this year, has the vision of "Invigorating Japan with a global perspective!" and provides research and marketing support in overseas markets with approximately 600 partners in 70 countries around the world. We also publish the cutting-edge food trend marketing magazine "FOODIAL" and co-manage the online platform "SDGs Voice & Eyes," disseminating the latest information on sustainability and ethical practices from around the world.
In order to respond to the recent radical legal reforms in the EU and the increasing need for international certification, it is essential for Japanese companies aiming to expand globally to adopt an SDGs perspective in product and service development. In addition, in order to tackle ethical issues and the SDGs as a business, important factors include communicating with Western consumers who are strict about greenwashing, ensuring transparency by honestly disclosing visions and goals, and building partnerships that transcend the boundaries of industries.
When examining advanced examples of ethical food in major countries, we see that popular products often attract attention not only for their ethical elements, but also for their delicious taste, healthiness, and fashionability that excites Gen Z. In addition to being in line with the cultural and religious background and values of Generation Z, it is also important that the product is "logical," with ease of use and an affordable price range.
For example, OATLY, a pioneering oat milk brand, is not only known for its delicious taste, but also for its excellent marketing and presentation, which is popular with Generation Z, including stylish packaging design and booth presentation. In addition, the company was the first to clearly state its Climate Footprint (CO2e = greenhouse gas emissions) on its product packaging, and is calling on all UK beverage manufacturers to adopt the same.It has gained tremendous support, especially among younger generations, through its activist-style activities and fun, catchy messages. In fact, they have successfully expanded their product lineup to include not only oat milk but also ice cream in supermarkets around the world.


■ Announcement of survey results on the domestic food scene of Gen Z and ethical eating (excerpt)
CCC MK HOLDINGS Co., Ltd.
Business Solutions Strategy Division Group Leader/Data Analyst  Shohei Oyama

In December 2024, CCCMK Holdings conducted a survey of 402 Generation Z members aged 16 to 24 and 406 V members aged 40 to 69 to investigate the current state of ethical consumption among Generation Z.
First, we asked about the points they place importance on when purchasing food in general. We found that compared to other generations, Gen Z is particularly less concerned about quality and origin, while they place the most importance on price. Regarding "values and behaviors regarding food," Gen Z most frequently answered that "eating is fun," and compared to other generations, they also ranked highly in items such as "buying new products," "buying inexpensive products," and "buying trusted brands."
Next, we asked, "What impression do you have when you see ethical products?" The overwhelming majority of Gen Z respondents answered, "They seem expensive."On the other hand, compared to other generations, the percentage of respondents who answered "It makes me want to buy it" and "It's unique" tended to be higher. The response rate was higher than that of other generations, and it was clear that they have a sense of empathy for ethical thinking. On the other hand, perhaps due to the image that it is "time-consuming," people seem to have a strong impression that it is in the high price range.
In addition, when we cross-tabulated the question of "what actually makes Gen Z want to purchase ethical products" between "items that interest them in ethical matters" and "items that motivate them to purchase," the result that stood out as being "reducing food waste" was by far the highest (see image above). It can be assumed that the background to this is the impression that "prices may be getting cheaper," and that this is also influenced by the high price sensitivity mentioned above. On the other hand, only a small number of people mentioned "animal welfare" and "organic," and it is thought that these factors are not currently contributing to purchasing motivation.
Furthermore, when we analyzed the free responses of Gen Z regarding the "enjoyment of food in general," we found that many people mentioned "seasonal feeling" such as limited-time items, "the joy of eating together" by eating together, and "surprise" that the food was more delicious than they had imagined, but there were almost no responses related to "ethical."
In addition, although the scale is still small, we also asked, "Why does Gen Z engage in ethical consumption?"It seems that their motivation is a sense of justice, such as "I want to do what I believe is right" or "It's good for the environment."
These survey results suggest that currently, Gen Z perceives ethics as something that "doesn't seem very fun," and that it is not connected to the fundamental deliciousness and enjoyment of food. In order to get Gen Z to see the value in ethical consumption, the breakthrough may be not to "find fun in ethics" but to "incorporate elements of ethical products and brands into things that Gen Z find fun."


■ Ethical trends of Generation Z (excerpts)
ETHICAL EXPO JAPAN General Incorporated Association 
Representative: Naoto Nurino

ETHICAL EXPO JAPAN, established in 2022, helps create mechanisms that enable young people to empathize with companies' ethical initiatives and thoughts. As part of its business, the company operates "ETHICAL REALIZE," a community of approximately 2,000 students with a strong interest in social issues; "ETHICAL TIMES," a media outlet that aims to match companies and students for new graduate recruitment; and "ETHICAL EXPO," one of Japan's largest ethical exhibition complexes.
Generation Z, who will become the core consumer demographic in 10 years, is thought to have developed a strong ethical orientation due to their exposure to the latest trends from overseas while placing importance on emotional values, partly due to the explosive spread of social media during their impressionable student years. When it comes to job hunting, around 70% of students responded that "knowing that a company is working on the SDGs makes me more interested in working for them," and a company's purpose is considered just as important as compensation and benefits.
In order to investigate the actual state of ethical appeals to Generation Z, we conducted a group interview with six men and women aged 22 to 27.
When asked about "ethical themes and initiatives that you can relate to," brand names such as "Patagonia," "Momiji Workshop," and "That's" were mentioned. The reason for this is that while "fashionable" and "cool" are prerequisites, the significance and meaning of the products are a major point of differentiation from other brands, such as "they repair it so you can wear it for a long time," "it's okay to wear the same thing as others if it's an ethical brand," and "their philosophy and ideas are cool."
We also asked, "Have you ever engaged in ethical consumption at supermarkets or convenience stores? Why?" and received the following response: "I buy things that come in paper cartons because they are the same price and easy to throw away. If it ends up being good for the environment, then it's killing three birds with one stone."There is little impression that ethics itself is a purchasing motive, but rather we can glimpse insights into ethical consumption that are premised on functionality. He added, "I've always loved Black Thunder, but after learning about the Smile Cocoa Project, I fell in love with it even more. One response was, "You can really feel how serious the company is about it just from looking at the website," and there were also examples of how a company's enthusiasm is helping to encourage ethical consumption among Generation Z.
In addition, an A/B test was conducted, comparing "A: Fairtrade Chocolate" with "B: Chocolate that creates a future for our children." The results showed some suspicions of greenwashing, such as "Because B didn't mention any specific initiatives (choice A)," as well as responses that hinted at "sustainability fatigue" among Gen Z, such as "B is tiring because there is so much similar information out there (choice A)," and "I don't find the words sustainable or fair trade appealing (choice B)."
Through these group interviews, it became clear that ethical values and stories, particularly in the food sector, not only have functional value (taste), but also help support consumer choices. There were also calls for the results to be made visible, showing how their ethical consumption has changed society and the environment. Furthermore, while Gen Z is skeptical of greenwashing and feels "sustainability fatigue" in an information-saturated society, it has become clear that effective use of social media appeals can strengthen empathy for a company's vision and philosophy.


■Comments from participants
Tomonobu Sato, Sustainability Promotion Manager, Nichirei Foods Corporation
Thank you for providing us with very useful information such as overseas cases and opinion surveys in Japan. I also learned that ethical consumption is no longer just a world where only a select few highly conscious people buy it, but that as diversity becomes increasingly accepted and universal, ethical consumption is progressing in various forms all over the world. We will work with fresh ideas to develop products and provide services that are not special, but that will bring happiness to the entire supply chain (both nature and people) before you even realize it.

The fourth Food Sustainability Forum 2024 is scheduled to be held in March 2025. Daisuke Yokota, General Manager of the Product Strategy Department, Merchandise Reform Division, AEON Retail Co., Ltd., will give a presentation entitled "Presentation of Policies and Case Studies of Distribution Companies on the Theme of Sustainable Food," in which he will introduce the current thinking and future policies regarding sustainable procurement, examples of ethical product initiatives, and the latest ethical industry examples. (Content is subject to change).  

CCCMK Holdings will work with all stakeholders involved in food, including consumers, manufacturers, and distributors, to help ethical food become more widespread in society, and each and every activity of the "V Everyone's Ethical Food Lab" will contribute to creating a food cycle that will connect to the future.

Materials related to this matter

Co-creation platform "V Everyone's Ethical Food Lab" holds the 3rd "Food Sustainability Forum 2024"

Inquiries regarding this matter

CCC MK HOLDINGS Co., Ltd.
Public Relations Office
TEL: 03-6800-4464
MAIL: cccmkpr@ccc.co.jp