What trends will decline in 2026 – summary
- Matcha popularity may fall as oversupply lowers quality and prestige
- Keto and low-carb diets drop as consumers shift toward balanced eating
- Viral sweet treats fade as sugar reduction and novelty fatigue grow
- CBD snacks struggle due to regulation hurdles and unclear health benefits
- Excessive brand partnerships risk consumer fatigue and reduced engagement
It’s that time again. With just over a month to go before the end of the year, we’re busy looking into the future and trying work out what will be trending in 2026.
From food tech trends to colour trends to functional ingredients trends, everyone, including us, is eager to predict what will be hot next year.
But there’s a flip-side to this. Some food and drink trends that are going strong may not continue to do so in 2026. What are the key trends we will see decline?
Matcha
Matcha might seem untouchable. It’s currently ubiquitous, its particular shade of green instantly recognisable to consumers.
Yet it could be a “victim of its own success”, suggests Alice Pilkington, principal analyst at marketing intelligence company Mintel.
This is due to the fact that the immense demand for matcha has meant the quality lowering somewhat.
“The supply chain is already buckling under the demand, leading to lower quality powders flooding the market and somewhat cheapening what is traditionally a very revered tea ceremony.”
Furthermore, the hype may not be sustainable. “At least in terms of buzz and publicity in 2026, matcha will not be able to replicate what’s happened in 2025″, suggests Pilkington.
Keto and low carb
The trend for high-protein, low-carb diets, such as keto and paleo, is predicted to decline in 2026.
“The fad diet rollercoaster is slowing down – interest spikes fast but drops even faster as consumers rebound to moderation", suggests market intelligence company Grand View Research.
Consumers are moving away from diets associated with rigid rules and the ‘maxxing’ of nutrients and ingredients, towards more balanced, varied diets. Health risks connected to more rigid diets will not help.
According to AI analytics platform Tastewise, interest in keto has already dropped globally by 18.5%. It looks like this trend will continue in 2026.
Viral sweet treats
Viral sweet treats have dominated 2025. Dubai chocolate, for example, became so popular that global shortages of pistachio were seen.
But by their very nature, their popularity is difficult to sustain for a long time, suggests Mintel’s Pilkington.
“Whilst it is true that products such as Dubai Chocolate and (creamy non-alcoholic mocktail) Dirty Soda have gained social media virality in 2025, very often these products are something consumers try once, share on social media and then move on.”
As consumers try to limit the amount of sugar in their diet, such overtly sweet treats will be unlikely to remain popular, although certain flavour elements, such as pistachio, may live on.
CBD drinks and snacks
CBD drinks and snacks have seen strong market potential, with some analysts predicting radical growth for the former. Some brands, such as UK beverage Trip, have already seen significant popularity.
Yet for CBD, the key problem is regulation, and the seemingly insurmountable barriers it is creating.
“It can’t reach mainstream because compliance roadblocks slow every attempt to scale,” says a spokesperson for the firm.
This, coupled with continued consumer uncertainty, means that it could well decline in 2026.
Brand partnerships
Partnerships between brands – especially between food and non-food brands – have been numerous in 2025. Tie-ins between food brands and popular films is one particularly egregious example.
However, too many brand partnerships may cause “consumer burnout”, suggests Mimi Bonnett, senior insights director at market intelligence firm Innova Market Insights.
Too many brand tie-ins with a single film may be seen by consumers as “excessive”.
“Some brands are rushing to market with products just to be on trend or to address a dialogue. While they are in fact on trend, there is a risk of consumer fatigue if they don’t make sense.”
Such partnerships may appeal to fans, but to other consumers, partnership fatigue may become a real thing.
