Irish infant formula has a reputation worldwide for high quality and product safety and this has contributed to sales growth in recent years as many young mothers feel incentivised to use milk formula and prepared baby food instead of breastfeeding and/or preparing their own baby food from scratch at home using fresh ingredients. Recent years have seen major changes in the lifestyles of many Irish consumers, specifically the country’s busy urban-dwellers, as the pace of life has accelerated.
February 2022 saw the introduction of new rules across the EU which place strict limitations on the ability of baby food companies to use health-focused language and messaging in advertising campaigns as well as on the packaging and labelling of the products themselves. In particular, statements claiming specific benefits relating to certain nutrients and the potential benefits of these nutrients have been completely banned, with these claims relating to general health positioning such as immune or gut health benefits, as well as specific health claims such as controlling reflux.
Another factor that continues to have a negative impact on the development of baby food sales in Ireland is the country’s low birth rate, which means an ever-diminishing end consumer group for baby food. In addition to putting pressure on growth rates for Ireland’s overall population, the low birth rate has contributed to the narrowing of demand in baby food by reducing the numbers of babies, infants and young children among the Irish population overall.
April 2021 saw Ireland’s official population top five million for the first time since the first half of the 19th century and this is a sign that the country’s population is growing, albeit at a slower rate than most other European countries of similar size and with similar levels of economic prosperity. Nevertheless, closer analysis reveals that the main reason for the country’s expanding population is migration from other European countries, while Ireland’s birth rate remains low by global standards.
During the forecast period, Irish consumers are likely to continue looking for higher-quality baby food, with premium brands and value-added products set to continue driving sales growth. In particular, Irish parents are expected to continue preferring value-added products with additional features, with health and wellness likely to be a major focus.
As mentioned above, the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on demand for baby food in Ireland during 2020 and 2021. However, it is unlikely that the adverse impact of the COVID-19 situation will last beyond the end of 2022 as mass vaccination programmes are expected to bring the spread of the COVID-19 virus under control.
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Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Baby Food industry in Ireland with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
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This report originates from Passport, our Baby Food research and analysis database.
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