In South Africa, many consumers have been reducing their spending on non-essentials due to the rising cost of living and to balance household budgets. Despite these pressures, healthy eating remained top of mind with consumers of all income groups in 2023, as they looked for the best, nutrient-dense options they could afford. Therefore, retail demand for vegetarian cooking ingredients and meals continued to rise, with value sales recording another year of dynamic growth. Vegetarian, which is con

The surge in health and wellness consciousness in China is becoming increasingly pronounced within cooking ingredients and meals. The inclination towards wellbeing has gained momentum as more consumers prioritise maintaining optimal health, and seek out nourishing options to safeguard against potential health problems – a trend that received an additional boost from the pandemic. In recent times, consumers have been scrutinising their dietary choices more closely, especially in relation to speci

Dairy farming and agriculture have long been a staple of the New Zealand economy, with ample access to high-quality meat and dairy products, meaning that these products have long formed the backbone of the traditional New Zealand diet. While health and wellness preferences have been the main driver of the shift towards a plant-based diet and the resultant greater diversity that has been seen in the dietary preferences of New Zealanders in recent years, the adverse environmental impact of meat an

As in many markets around the world, consumers in Israel are becoming increasingly concerned about the potential health impacts of eating ultra-processed foods and artificial additives such as flavourings, colourings, sweeteners and preservatives. Moreover, concerns about the high levels of constituents such as salt/sodium, sugar and fat often associated with ultra-processed food were reinforced by the introduction of new red labels on food packaging by the Ministry of Health in 2020.

Demand for cooking ingredients and meals in Norway was limited in 2023 due to the resumption of the cross-border shopping now that the pandemic is over. This also adversely affected domestic retail sales across several categories of health and wellness cooking ingredients and meals, a trend that was exacerbated by the return to pre-pandemic lifestyles among the local population. More specifically, Norwegian people spent far less time at home during 2023 than during the pandemic, which meant that

Even before COVID-19 consumers in Hong Kong were starting to pay more attention to the impact of their diet on their health. However, the pandemic amplified this trend with consumers seeing a more immediate impact of being overweight or unhealthy, with consumers in this situation having been more vulnerable to more severe symptoms from COVID-19. Although the pandemic was declared over by the World Health Organisation in early 2023 consumers remained focused on healthy eating, recognising the lin

Because they tend to be more expensive than standard alternatives, health and wellness cooking ingredients and meals faced greater exposure to heightened price-sensitivity among consumers in Chile in 2023 as the spike in inflation fuelled by the global recovery from the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continued to drive up the general cost of living and erode purchasing power. Moreover, increased cost pressures prompted several companies to scale back investment in the development, pro

Health and wellness has been a growing trend within cooking ingredients and meals in the United Arab Emirates. The popularity of such products is a global trend which became evident in the country only recently. Selecting products that are good for health is now considered to be a cool and popular thing to do amongst younger generations. A further growth driver is the fact that the United Arab Emirates heavily relies on imported packaged food products. Even though this situation is gradually cha

The health and wellness trend has been growing within cooking ingredients and meals in South Korea, with consumers increasingly wanting to prevent any medical issues by eating “better”. Many health and wellness attributes have seen an increase in popularity as a result. Concerns that food and drinks are sometimes overprocessed have contributed to high sales of variants with natural claims. As a result, natural was the largest health and wellness claim in cooking ingredients and meals in 2023, wi

Health concerns among German consumers continued to influence developments within packaged food in 2023. Despite inflationary pressures and rising prices, many health-conscious consumers continued to prioritise their health and were willing to pay marginally more for products that offered higher specific value. Concerns about calorie and carbohydrates intake were on the rise due to greater availability of information, especially on the internet. Local consumers are now better informed and more d

An increased focus on maintaining health and improving wellness emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic and has remained strong in Mexico during the post-pandemic era. According to Euromonitor International's Voice of the Consumer: Lifestyles Survey 2023, 55% of consumers in Mexico look for products that contain healthy ingredients in their food and beverages. In 2023, natural was the leading claim in Mexico, supported by the rising health and wellness trend that saw many consumers avoiding ingredi

The health and wellness trend has been rising within cooking ingredients and meals in India, with the pandemic having a lasting impact on consumers’ perceptions of food; many health and wellness attributes have seen increases in consumption as a result. In recent years, consumers have been examining their diet more closely in connection with specific health concerns, and have started to be more selective about the ingredients and nutrients included in the foods they consume. This has benefited a

Sales of health and wellness cooking ingredients and meals in Japan continue to be bolstered by the consumer desire to eat the “right” foods as a direct result of increased health concerns, which accelerated during the pandemic. Food manufacturers are leveraging this trend in their long-term strategies by shaping their health offerings. With direct correlations being made between high sugar, salt, or fat intake and poor health, better for you claims have risen in popularity, particularly since C

Despite the country’s aim to live with COVID-19 and return to pre-pandemic lifestyles, confirmed COVID-19 case numbers spiked in 2023 in Taiwan with more than 10,000 cases per day. In line with heightened health consciousness, which has been bolstered by pandemic experiences, local consumers are increasingly demanding more natural products and fewer additives in their food. They are especially wary of added sugar – sugar has become the focus of rising publicity for its role in the development of

Following the outbreak of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia, consumers have become increasingly interested in their nutritional intake, overall health and their wellbeing. As such, many consumers have looked to reduce elements they consider damaging to health, including large quantities of salt, fat and sugar. Rising media discussion and growing awareness surrounding the potential dangers of artificial ingredients and ultra-processed food have further driven the movement towards products with the Natural

The health and wellness trend has continued to influence sales of cooking ingredients and meals in Singapore in 2023. Consumers remain dedicated in prioritising their health while navigating the higher cost of living, prompting players to launch numerous products tailored to address specific health concerns. In particular, ready meals, which had previously been criticised as being high in sodium and low in nutrition, has seen a growing focus on the delivery of more nutritious options. Alongside

Interest in labels and certifications that highlight positive and/or “healthy” attributes is increasing in the US, as consumers are looking for functionality, and are taking a more balanced approach to diet, instead of simply consuming foods with reduced ingredients such as sugar and fat. This comes from the idea that consumers prefer positive outcomes, rather than just avoiding negative ones. Consumers have become less focused on cutting out specific nutrients, such as fat, and have instead beg

An increasing number of Polish consumers are embracing a healthy and active lifestyle, looking for cooking ingredients and meals with claims and benefits that align with these goals. Many consumers are looking to reduce salt, fat and sugar while selecting foods fortified with additional benefits, such as vitamins, minerals, protein and probiotics. Producers are also introducing health-oriented products that cater to dietary preferences, such as vegetarians and vegans and gluten-free and lactose-

Turkey has a long history of consumers enjoying dips, although these are often either made from scratch at home or consumed in neighbourhood restaurants. However, there has been an increase in the availability of packaged dips, which are traditionally consumed at breakfast. These dips include acuka, which is a red pepper dip with walnuts; lutenitsa, which is a spread with red peppers and aubergines; and other dips that are typically consumed at breakfast and are available in packaged format with

Despite rising inflation in 2023, consumer interest in health, wellness and sustainability continued to drive sales and shape innovations within cooking ingredients and meals. 2023 saw a rise in consumers opting for food and drink with health claims, while shifting towards plant-based options across all categories in cooking ingredients and meals. As such, health and wellness claims remained a key aspect of innovations, driving growth in the cooking ingredients and meals landscape. Consumers wer

With health and wellness trends increasingly aligning with consumers’ ethical considerations, many consumers are looking to reduce their consumption of meat and dairy products because of concerns about the environment and animal welfare, as well and health and wellness. As a result, health conscious consumers in Thailand are increasingly opting for plant-based cooking ingredients and meals. Indeed, the plant-based claim saw double-digit volume growth in cooking ingredients and meals in Thailand

New lifestyles, including flexible working models post-pandemic, 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 supported demand for cooking ingredients and meals with various health claims in 2023, in particular, sauces, dips and condiments with no salt and no added sugar options, due to the greater focus on health and wellness.

2023 saw demand continue to increase across numerous categories of health and wellness cooking ingredients and meals. These positive growth trends very much in line with the prevailing attitudes among Swiss consumers towards the dangers of excessive salt and sugar consumption. In particular, spreading knowledge that a diet high in salt can contribute to high blood pressure and that a high sugar intake can contribute to various lifestyle diseases such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes is mot

Lactose free remained the leading health and wellness claim in cooking ingredients and meals in Finland in 2023, with current value sales growing by 18% from 2022 to reach EUR164 million. While value growth was skewed somewhat by price hikes imposed to offset inflationary pressures linked to the global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, volume sales of products with this positioning also increased at impressive rates in a number of key categories over the cours