Western Europe

The shift from traditional or sugary alternatives, such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi, to low/no sugar variants, like Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Coca-Cola Light, and Pepsi Max, is not a new trend, but it is the longest standing health trend in soft drinks. This…

2022 saw health and wellness soft drinks outperform the overall soft drinks industry in Switzerland as consumer awareness of the health benefits of consuming health and wellness products generally continued to increase. Numerous categories of health…

Health and wellness trends continued to rise on the soft drinks landscape in 2023, having been bolstered by concerns surrounding COVID-19, which reinvigorated focus on health and preventing long-term illnesses. Health concerns have, therefore,…

Local consumers are increasingly prioritising perceived healthier soft drinks, not only due to greater concerns over their health or to a more expanded knowledge of their own needs, but also because of the more expensive retail prices of soft drinks…

The consumer base in Turkey increased in 2022, as the country saw substantial immigration, and also a strong influx of tourists. Despite inflationary pressures and higher prices, the consumption of soft drinks increased, and the focus on health and…

Animal welfare is increasingly impacting Austrian consumers' buying decisions, with organic meat, cruelty-free farming, and vegan options gaining ground. While approximately 2% of the Austrian population are vegans, an increasing number of consumers…

With the health and wellness trend gathering momentum on an annual basis in Belgium, Nutri-Scores have been gaining in importance across packaged food categories, including staple foods. In general, local consumers are seeking out staple products…

Health and wellness trends are becoming increasingly aligned with ethical considerations in consumer purchasing decisions. Consumers are becoming more concerned about social and environmental sustainability, climate impact and animal welfare, as well…

The oat boom continues expanding in Finland. Not only are oats a traditional Nordic superfood, but there is also considerable new product development allowing brands to deliver value-added benefits. The health benefits of oats are widely known in…

The number of people adopting vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian diets is growing in France. While still somewhat underdeveloped as compared to neighbouring markets such as the UK and Germany, this trend has gained momentum in recent years, primarily…

With local consumers becoming increasingly health-conscious and looking for healthier breakfast options, the demand for low or no added sugar breakfast cereals in Germany has increased in recent years. These alternative options contain reduced levels…

High fibre remained the leading health and wellness claim in staple foods in Greece in 2023. Many consumers look for high fibre products to compensate for the deficiency in their fibre intake from vegetables, especially as increasingly hectic…

Health and wellness concerns are increasing across Ireland, shaping buying habits within staple foods. Consumers are looking to improve nutritional content, avoid artificial ingredients, and reduce high sugar and fat levels. As consumers have changed…

Consumers in Italy have become more conscious of the importance of following a healthier diet, but despite this they still crave indulgences. As such, Italian consumers are increasingly looking for no fat and no sugar cakes and that are rich in…

Towards the end of the review period, Norway’s health and wellness staple foods industry continued to record rising sales as a result of the development of the overall health and wellness trend. The largest category across the industry is natural…

Child and juvenile obesity remains a significant concern in Spain, which had one of the highest rates in Europe in 2023, according to the World Health Organization. Indeed, the World Obesity Atlas 2023, a report published by the World Obesity…

Plant-based meat and seafood substitutes enjoyed strong growth in current value terms in 2022 with the category continuing to benefit from the rising number of vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian consumers in Sweden. Consumers are looking to eat…

The high overall consumption of processed meat and processed seafood in Switzerland presents significant opportunities for companies and brands that offer health and wellness organic versions of such products and, in particular, plant-based…

Health and wellness continued to be a key driver of innovation and sales in staple foods during 2023, as consumers looked to invest in food and drink that could prevent long-term health problems while supporting daily wellness goals. Health awareness…

Alongside rising consumer awareness in the UK on the importance of healthy nutrition, the HFSS regulation (High in Fat, Salt, and Sugar) has become a catalyst for even greater innovation in the health space. In October 2022, restrictions on product…

One of the major issues of the pandemic was that people had fewer opportunities to do physical activities, as they stayed at home most of the time. Accordingly, many people gained weight, with the number of people diagnosed with overweight and…

Private label – retailers’ alternatives to brands – tend to benefit from inflation. However, despite record inflation in France, Germany and the UK, the market share of private label in the three countries remained broadly stable across FMCGs in…

In Western Europe, the preventative health trend was accelerated by consumers’ rising health concerns due to the 2020 global pandemic. This resulted in several product launches positioned under the immune boost and/or wellbeing umbrellas. This report…

The growing popularity of subscription boxes has led to a rise in M&A activity and funding for subscription box start-ups. Available across industries, they target specific consumer needs through different subscription models: pure convenience,…

Now in its seventh edition, this report explores the top digital shopper trends that will redefine commerce the most in the year ahead. Some of the trends included in this edition touch on topics such as second-hand shopping, community group buying,…