When looking at trends in food and beverage, we often see them from a continental or even global perspective. Trends such as GLP-1 uptake or high-protein transcend borders and affect consumers around the world.
But what about trends at the level of an individual country? It is important for the food industry to understand consumers in individual countries, and what makes them unique.
What trends are driving French consumers? And how do they play into global trends? We take a look at four key French consumer trends.
1. Twix and Twix-like products
Nestlé-owned chocolate bar Twix has seen enormous popularity among French consumers.
According to the AI-driven analytics platform Tastewise, the presence of the chocolate bar on French menus has shown 389% year-on-year growth.
“Twix is being discussed disproportionately in dessert-style, texture-led, and format-driven contexts, which can inflate visibility without implying more bars are being bought and eaten,” explains a spokesperson for the company.
The spokesperson clarified that its presence on menus may not overtly imply the branded product, but that the word is being used to describe desserts similar to it.
In short, it is being used as “dessert ingredient cue and format inspiration”.
Twix uptake is also being driven by new formats, the spokesperson suggested. “Twix is being pulled into more occasions and formats, even when unit purchases are under pressure.”
2. Natural ingredients
French consumers are keenly interested in ‘natural’ ingredients, explains Ophelie Buchet, associate director at analytics company Mintel.
According to Mintel, around 44% of French consumers want natural ingredients.
This is reflected in consumption as well as desire. Around 66% of French consumers have snacked on fresh fruits in 2025, compared to 50% in 2023.
Salad is also a big trend, appearing on 56% of French menus, according to Tastewise.
“Salads are popular because they are one of the most adaptable and context-flexible foods,” says the Tastewise spokesperson. They appeal to multiple consumer priorities.
In a time when consumers are shifting health priorities, salads offer a flexible and low-risk way of improving health without restriction. They can easily carry other ingredients such as proteins, grains, and even “indulgent” toppings, yet still have the reputation for being healthy.
“Their popularity is not driven by novelty, but by their ability to satisfy multiple, sometimes conflicting needs at the same time.”
3. High-protein and protein quality
The high protein trend is certainly increasing in France. According to Mintel, 17% of French consumers wanted high protein in 2025, compared with 11% in 2019.
This is seen particularly in breakfasts: in 2025 63% of French consumers believed a high-protein breakfast was important, compared with 15% in 2020.
This protein popularity has led to an increase in new high-protein launches: from 2% of all French launches in 2020 to 3% in 2025.
Nevertheless, in France, most consumers – 68% of them, in fact – are confident that they get enough protein, explains Mintel’s Buchet. Because of this, much of consumer focus is on protein quality, not quantity.
54% of French consumers pay attention to protein quality, “showing an opportunity for brands to move towards communication based on ... diversity and benefits“.
4. GLP-1s only seeing moderate use
Perhaps not a trend but the absence of one. GLP-1 use is not as significant in France as in some other geographies.
In fact, only around 2% of the French population are using the drugs, explains Buchet, and this use is mostly restricted to diabetes treatment. When compared to the US (18% past and present users, according to Mintel) or even the UK (4%), this is quite small.
GLP-1 for weight-loss is not reimbursed by social security, so, says Buchet, its use is strongly discouraged.
Views on the drugs among the French public are largely sceptical as well.
“Only 7% of French consumers agree that diabetes medications that reduce appetite are a good solution for weight loss. 30% would like to know more about how these medications can help them manage their weight.”
