The market researcher is publishing a report this month called The New Europe, in which it identifies growth in packaged food value sales in Poland, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria of 72 per cent between 2001 and 2006. Soft drink sales grew by some 87 per cent in the 'New Europe' markets.

With comparative data from Western Europe showing comparable growth rates of 63 per cent (packaged food) and 71 per cent (soft drinks), the indications are that EU expansion is opening up new markets for food producers with the potential to be more lucrative than traditional ones.

Unsurprisingly Poland, which joined the EU in 2004, now has the largest packaged food and soft drinks market of the New Europe countries, with retail sales estimated at US$14.2bn and $2.6bn respectively.

But Euromonitor predicts that growth rates here will slow over the next five years to just 1.9 per cent for foods. Romania and Bulgaria, on the other hand, which joined the EU at the start of this year, are predicted to expand fast from their low base over the coming years.

Western trends are also seen to be mirrored in the East - and in particular the trend towards health and wellness.

"It is clear that consumer demand for health food and drinks is now impacting consumer spending choices in new EU countries, a trend which has been seen in Western markets for several years," said Euromonitor research director Gina Westbrook.