Western Europe

New lifestyles, including flexible working models, have encouraged local consumers to cook more often at home. This is in addition to rising inflation in the UK, which has been pushing up the cost of meals through consumer foodservice. This trend…

The growth in vegetarian cooking ingredients and meals is driven by various factors in the Netherlands. Consumers are increasingly finding meatless dietary options appealing, with sustainability, animal welfare, and health benefits being the key…

2022 saw demand continue to increase across numerous categories of health and wellness cooking ingredients and meals, with these positive growth trends very much in line with the prevailing attitudes among Swiss consumers towards the dangers of…

Vegetarian, vegan and plant-based alternatives saw a boom in popularity in several packaged food categories towards the end of the review period with ready meals being no exception. There is a strong demand for healthier food alternatives in Sweden,…

A key development in health and wellness trends across national markets and product packaged food categories at the end of the review period was the increasing alignment of health concerns with ethical considerations around issues such as…

2022 saw suppressed demand across Norway’s cooking ingredients and meals industry due to the resumption of the cross-border shopping that was extremely popular among local consumers prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This also adversely…

Organic products came to the fore in several categories within cooking ingredients and meals in 2023. As demand has risen, retailers’ shelves have become increasingly crowded with organic products, with many stores creating specific areas dedicated…

Consumers in Ireland were continuing to align with health and wellness trends in 2023, increasingly choosing foods with low fat, low sugar, low salt and high nutritional value. Health has been a key driver of growth for vegetarian products, with a…

Natural was the leading health and wellness claim in cooking ingredients and meals in Greece in 2023. The claim saw dynamic growth in both volume and value terms during the year. In common with consumers in many other markets, Greek consumers have…

Cooking ingredients and meals in Germany saw several significant developments in 2022, including a growing focus on sustainability, convenience, and health. Sustainability has become an essential factor in the German market, with many consumers…

Two-thirds of French consumers were overweight or obese in 2023, with the share of consumers who are obese rising by one percentage point to 26%. Alongside this there is an increasing consumer awareness of the health risks associated with being…

Nordic rapeseed oil is benefiting from being seen as a locally sourced superfood, boosting sales of domestic cooking oils. It is noteworthy that, as the global supply of sunflower oil suffered shortages in 2022, Finns increasingly turned to locally…

Organic remained the leading claim in health and wellness cooking ingredients in Denmark in 2023. Danes are prodigious consumers of organic food, and 26% of 2023 Health and Nutrition survey respondents sought 100% organic products. Furthermore, the…

Demand for healthy cooking ingredients and ready meals was on the rise in Belgium in 2023. Indeed, the Nutri-Score given to products is becoming more important for consumers, who are increasingly buying products with better Nutri-Scores especially…

The prevalence of allergies in Austria has increased demand for gluten free cooking ingredients and meals, while those without gluten intolerances continue to avoid gluten for health benefits. These consumers believe reducing or eliminating gluten…

The health and wellness industry continues to grow in importance post-pandemic as consumers become more aware of the negative health impact of processed foods, seeking healthier foods and beverages from a range of claims such as natural, organic,…

The health and wellness industry continues to grow in importance post-pandemic as consumers become more aware of the negative health impact of processed foods, seeking healthier foods and beverages from a range of claims such as natural, organic,…

The health and wellness industry continues to gain greater significance overall, particularly in the wake of the pandemic, as consumers have become more cognisant of the negative impact of processed food and a range of drinks on their health and…

The health and wellness industry continues to grow in importance post-pandemic as consumers become more aware of the negative health impact of processed foods, seeking healthier foods and beverages from a range of claims such as natural, organic,…

The health and wellness industry continues to grow in importance post-pandemic as consumers become more aware of the negative health impact of processed foods, seeking healthier foods and beverages from a range of claims such as natural, organic,…