Filipinos are consuming less sugar and seasonings due to inflation, as well as for health reasons, according to a survey.

A study of the sociocultural research firm, Fourth Wall, commissioned by Packworks' Sari IQ, says that the demand for sugar and seasonings for Filipino has considerably gone low this year compared to 2021, as sugar declined by -9 percent and seasonings by -33 percent, showing that Filipinos are becoming more conscious about their diet — even during the Holiday Season.

"Our analysis further suggests that on holiday seasons, Filipinos are willing to forgo salads and sweets, but they are struggling to let go of fried foods. The aversion to sugars and salads comes from high inflation, growing concerns about diabetes, and increasing health consciousness.

Meanwhile, the propensity for fried foods comes from practical considerations (convenient and economical) but also from a much deeper sociocultural consideration," said John Brylle Bae, research director of Fourth Wall.

Sawsawan culture

Meanwhile, the study, which is a comparison of data obtained from Sari IQ on 1 to 14 December, between 2021 and 2022, has found that products related to fried food are at the top of the shopping list of Filipinos in their favorite sari-sari stores.

The study showed that among all Holiday Season products, packaged condiments or sawsawan has the highest consumption rate, with a significant increase of 8 percent, while breading and coating mix came second at 7 percent, and cooking oil, despite ranking in third place, remained statistically static with a 5 percent increase.

"At a sociocultural level, Filipinos prefer fried foods because of their association with sawsawan and the culture it breeds. The sawsawan culture epitomizes the communal nature of eating for us, Filipinos — that is, eating is more than just consuming good food, but forging long-lasting connections with others," Bae explained.