The old adage that 'you are what you eat' has become a source of stress and anxiety for Chinese consumers overwhelmed by the range of food choices now on the market.
Ogilvy & Mather recently carried out a study of eating habits in 21 cities in 14 Asian countries. The survey was entitled 'Eating Disorders: Dilemmas, Trade-offs and Opportunities in Asia's Changing Food Habits'. Their findings were released last week.
According to the survey, numerous problems have emerged among Chinese, whose eating habits have been constrained by time crunches, nutritional concerns and too many choices.
'The paradox is that changes for the better are causing confusion and disorder. While the standard of living has gone up for most, the quality of life has gone down,' said Lily Pu, Ogilvy & Mather's Asia-Pacific regional planning director. 'Greater choice has not led to greater happiness.'
The opening of China's markets has overwhelmed mainland consumers. They now have 115 brands of soya sauce, 107 brands of cooking oil, 125 brands of bottled water and 246 brands of cooked meat to choose from.
'Standing in the supermarket aisle, you have no idea what to buy,' said one exasperated Guangzhou housewife in the survey.
Respondents in Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Hong Kong were surveyed over several months through focus groups, field interviews, food diaries and shopping trips.