2026
8
Germany Attitudes towards Healthy Eating and Drinking Consumer Report 2026
2026-04-24T10:01:12+00:00
REP338C1D6C_290E_4BA6_8C1D_6C290E0BA6DA
2600
192849
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Report
en_GB
Healthy eating and drinking intentions in Germany have strengthened in 2026. 68% of Germans try to eat or drink healthily all or most of the time (+4pp vs 2025), supported…
Germany
Health and Wellness
Consumer Attitudes
simple

Germany Attitudes towards Healthy Eating and Drinking Consumer Report 2026

"With protein claims proliferating, celebrate basic whole foods as trusted, everyday choices grounded in inherent health functionality. Fibre-led satiety offers a food-first solution to weight management."

Eliana Riera-McInnes, Foodservice Research Analyst

Healthy eating and drinking intentions in Germany have strengthened in 2026. 68% of Germans try to eat or drink healthily all or most of the time (+4pp vs 2025), supported by a renewed focus on self-care. At the same time, the K-shaped economic recovery is widening the healthy eating divide. As financially healthy Germans pull further ahead and those under strain find it more challenging to keep up, own label emerges as a key route to widening access to healthier food and drink.

Weight management is also regaining prominence, driven by the cultural impact of GLP-1 drugs, even as actual usage remains limited. This has reinforced protein-forward innovation. However, as protein fatigue begins to set in, there is space to rebalance health conversations towards fibre and broader nutrient density to support satiety and digestion.

In parallel, a back-to-roots movement and concerns around ultra-processed and heavily engineered products are bolstering the appeal of whole foods. 81% of Germans think whole foods deliver better health benefits than fortified alternatives. Brands can celebrate the inherent nutritional qualities of simple staples and boost whole-food flavour innovation, reframing everyday foods as credible, accessible and engaging health solutions.

This Report Looks at the Following Areas:

  • Cost-of-living pressures are widening inequalities in healthy eating and drinking
  • Whole-food trust overrules fortification on health benefits, buoyed by UPF scepticism
  • GLP-1 weight-loss narratives amplify fibre’s appeal as a natural satiety solution
  • Social media accelerates interest in high-protein claims but also fuels misinformation
  • Consumers struggle to trust healthy eating advice, increasing demand for clarity and guidance
  • Own label leverages health claims, challenging branded products’ perceived credibility
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  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for attitudes towards healthy eating & drinking
    • Opportunities
    • Reframe everyday food staples as relevant, contemporary health solutions
    • Explore flavour innovation in whole foods
    • In times of GLP-1s, leverage fibre’s link to satiety
    • Win relevance by guiding (informed) healthier decisions
  2. THE MARKET

    • Persistent cost-of-living pressures widen the financial gap in healthy eating and drinking
    • Self-care is front and centre in 2026
    • Focus on self-care leads to improving health perceptions
    • Graph 1: self-reporting of general health, 2024/26
    • More Germans are trying to lose or maintain their weight in 2026
    • Graph 2: weight management intentions, 2024-25
    • The rise of GLP-1 drugs rekindles the spotlight on weight loss and thinness
    • Social media drives interest in high-protein claims, but nutrient diversity will win in the long term
    • Graph 3: health priorities of 16-34s when shopping for groceries, 2021-25
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Evolution of healthy eating & drinking
    • Healthy eating/drinking intentions rebound in 2026 after a dip in 2025
    • Better-off Germans drive rise in healthy eating and drinking
    • Graph 4: frequency of healthy eating/drinking among Germans with healthy finances, 2025-26
    • Home cooking leads healthy eating efforts
    • Graph 5: steps taken to try to eat/drink healthily, 2026
    • Deliver simple, healthy flavour boosts to elevate homemade meals
    • Cost pressures hamper diverse intake of plant-based foods
    • Repertoire size of healthy eating/drink actions increases steadily with age
    • Graph 6: repertoire of steps taken to try to eat/drink healthily, by generation, 2026
    • Nuanced sweetness can help temper Gen Z’s sweet tooth
    • Most popular functional benefits in food and drink
    • Immunity and better sleep support lead interest in functional food and drink
    • Natural functionality will outshine fortification on health…
    • …with scope to leverage flavour innovation
    • Take sleep health beyond the realm of tea with sleep-supporting whole foods
    • Fibre and water shine through as versatile, multifunctional health-boosters
    • Graph 7: what consumers look for in food and drink products to gain specific health benefits, 2026
    • Move beyond protein-maxxing towards more-balanced nutrient density
    • Fibre’s link to satiety and gut health will grow its appeal for weight management support
    • Fibre’s functional versatility makes it a quiet nutritional hero
    • Leverage moderate caffeination to tap into water’s potential as a healthier alternative to energy drinks
    • Healthy eating & drinking knowledge and information sources
    • Financial constraints impact both nutritional awareness and information seeking
    • Graph 8: selected behaviours relating to healthy eating/drinking, by financial health, 2026
    • Healthy eating/drinking advice comes from many sources, with no clear point of reference
    • Graph 9: sources with the biggest influence on healthy eating/drinking habits in the last six months, 2026
    • A lack of trust in healthy eating/drinking sources fuels scepticism
    • Enable informed and expert-supported nutritional decisions to build trust
    • Graph 10: agreement with the statement ‘I find it hard to know who I can trust for healthy eating/drinking advice’, by selected healthy eating behaviours, 2026
    • Younger generations rely on social media for health advice
    • Partner with influencers with strong expertise credentials
    • Germans demand better portion guidance
    • Capitalise on the rise of portion control
  4. PRODUCT, INNOVATION AND MARKETING

    • Private label continues to increase its share of health-related claims
    • Graph 11: food and drink launches with health-related claims*, by branded vs private label, 2023-25
    • Naturalness claims rebound while minus and plus claims continue to grow
    • Graph 12: food and drink launches, by claim category, 2023-25
    • High/added protein claims as common as no added sugar in 2025
    • Graph 13: food and drink launches, by plus/minus claims, 2023-25
    • Animal- and plant-based whole foods pair high-protein claims with additional benefits
    • Protein-fortified foods tap into viral trends
    • HelloFresh partners with Doc Felix to bring nutritional clarity to everyday eating
  5. APPENDIX

    • Report scope
    • The consumer
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology
    • Repertoire analysis methodology
    • Germany’s generation groups
    • Other data source methodologies
    • Mintel Spark
    • Abbreviations
    • A note on language – Germany

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