UK food trends summary
- UK consumers turn to nostalgic flavours as economic pressures deepen
- Demand grows for new flavours as shoppers seek novel food experiences
- High protein trends expand rapidly though consumer scepticism begins emerging
- Flexitarian eating becomes mainstream with many households reducing meat consumption
- GLP‑1 usage stays limited but significantly influences UK dietary behaviour
In the UK, many of the biggest food trends have been embraced by consumers.
But the narrative isn’t always clear. Consumers are interested in both nostalgia and newness; high protein is both thriving, and seeing signs of fatigue.
1. Economic uncertainty is driving nostalgia
With low confidence and low household income, many consumers are struggling. In food and drink, this is causing people to look to the past.
Retro is seeing popularity in Germany; in the UK, people are embracing nostalgia.
During seasonal occasions, 62% of seasonal food and drink buyers opt for products that remind them of their childhood, according to consumer analytics company Mintel.
For 78% of consumers, flavours of crisps (potato chips) that people enjoyed as a child are still their favourite flavours as adults.
Nostalgia is a “powerful resource for stalwart brands to mine, offering a point of difference out of reach for own-brand and challengers“, says Kiti Soininen, head of UK food and drink research at Mintel.
2. Nevertheless, consumers also want newness
Consumers also want products that are new. Around 70% of people enjoy food and drink that provides new experiences, according to Mintel.
For example, ‘gamified’ products such as Pringles mystery flavours appeal to consumers, offering them something new and mysterious. Consumers hosting social occasions often look for salty snack flavours that are different from ordinary ones.
Other ‘new’ food products that have seen popularity include the proliferating variety of hot cross bun flavours.
Consumer desire for newness “makes investment in NPD crucial even as the industry faces a challenging cost environment and a budget-conscious shopper mindset“, says Mintel’s Soininen.
Flavour experimentation is also popular among UK consumers, says Natalia Theofilopoulou, senior consultant at consumer analytics platform Euromonitor.
Consumers are focusing on global flavours, particularly Mediterranean, Middle-Eastern and Asian.
Meanwhile, innovation is transforming a wide range of foods. “Innovation centred on indulgent textures, novel combinations and authentic culinary cues continues to elevate categories such as premium chocolate, artisanal baked goods, speciality cheeses and authentic Italian pizzas.”
3. High protein is popular, but there are signs of fatigue
As in France and Spain, one of the main UK food trends is high protein.
In early 2022, only 17% of UK adults saw protein as a top three important factor for healthy food. By 2025, it was up to 27%. Around 56% of consumers perceive protein as satiety-boosting, which also contributes to the trend’s popularity in the UK.
This has caused a boom in protein-centred NPD: products boasting high or added protein went from 5% of launches in 2022 to 7% in 2025, according to Mintel. This created something of a positive feedback loop.
“The growing array of protein-forward launches across a range of staple food and drink products in mainstream retail in turn helped to drive visibility among consumers and made the trend more accessible“, says Soininen.
However, consumers have recently become more sceptical about the nutrient’s prevalence. Around 49% of consumers believe that an excessive focus on protein can lead to other nutrients being neglected. Furthermore, the sheer amount of high-protein NPD has diluted the impact that individual products can have, meaning better-for-you products must look elsewhere.
According to AI-driven analytics platform Tastewise, high protein is growing at 11% year-on-year.
4. Flexitarianism is growing
Flexitarianism is strong in the UK. The share of consumers describing themselves as ‘flexitarian’ has gone from 5.5% in 2021 to 8.5% in 2025, says Euromonitor’s Theofilopoulou.
“Economic pressures amplify this trend: inflation and climatic factors raise the cost of fresh red meat, prompting households to opt for lower‑cost proteins such as eggs, pulses, tinned fish and poultry, along with chilled and frozen processed options that support portion control,“ says Theofilopoulou.
Moderation, not elimination, is the “dominant theme”, she says, as the share of vegetarians and vegans – 7% and 4.4% respectively – remains small.
Meanwhile, around 46% of parents are avoiding or limiting meat, explains Mintel’s Soininen, meaning many children in the UK are growing up with meat as optional rather than compulsory.
5. GLP-1 use is marginal but cultural impact is large
In countries such as France and Italy, the use of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss is treated with a significant degree of scepticism. However, in the UK, they are more popular.
The UK is seeing some coverage from its National Health Service (NHS) for obesity, and rising private prescribing.
Because of this, “the UK shows visible behavioural changes linked to GLP‑1 use. Users are eating smaller amounts, choosing higher‑protein and nutrient‑dense foods," says Euromonitor’s Theofilopoulou.
This has put pressure on calorie-dense, impulse-led foods, she says, such as savoury snacks and sweet baked goods. This has led to UK brands investing in satiety-focused, portion-controlled and protein-rich products, such as fortified shakes high-protein ready meals, and products reformulated with fibres, natural sweeteners and healthier fats.
The drugs also have had a significant cultural impact, according to Mintel’s Soininen.
“GLP-1s’ impact on the UK food landscape extends beyond their limited user pool . . . the public dialogue surrounding these medications has shone a renewed cultural spotlight on weight management, the role of satiety within that and on nutrient density as a key better-for-you proposition in food and drink“.
