The European Diet: Balanced and Hyper-Aware
With changing lifestyles and a growing interest among consumers in healthy eating, European consumers are paying closer attention to labels and claims on food and drinks before making their purchases. These consumers are not only looking for claims that affect their personal well-being such as “containing protein” or “no artificial ingredients,” but they are also interested in sustainable and eco-conscious features that have global impact. Brands and retailers need to ensure that they are clearly labelling their food and drink with claims that resonate with European consumers.
Meat is still considered to be an important part of the European diet, with 64% of European consumers saying they do not have any meat eating restrictions. However, just around 22% of European consumers also say that they are trying to reduce their meat intake and are more likely to consume fresh fruit and vegetables than any other region. Europeans are therefore moving towards a more balanced diet, which encompasses both meat and vegetarian options to ensure that they are living a healthy lifestyle.
Changes in Legislation and Consumer Preferences
The recent sugar tax in the United Kingdom, which is designed to reduce the consumption of drinks with added sugar, has caused a lot of changes within the industry and across the world. Drinks included under this tax, which often include carbonated soft drinks, sports drinks and energy drinks, need to ensure that their sales are not affected by either maintaining sales with their loyal customers or changing the formulation of their products to include less sugar. However, those looking to change their drinks’ formulation by adding more artificial flavours or sweeteners need to be cautious, as around 33% of European consumers specifically seek “no artificial flavours” and “no sweetener” labels.
