8 Food Trends Among Youth for 2025
Published: January, 2025
The food preferences of young consumers are evolving, reflecting broader societal trends and personal priorities. Our recent Youth Pulse Study, conducted among 15-27-year-olds across five major European markets (EU5), sheds light on the key factors shaping their food choices.
From sustainability and dietary habits to the growing popularity of plant-based meals and fortified foods, these insights highlight the trends set to influence the food market in 2025. The article explores eight major food trends among youth across Europe, as revealed by the research.
Brick-and-Mortar Dominates Youth Grocery Shopping
62% percent of young consumers buy their food exclusively in physical stores, while 3% percent do so exclusively online. 36% use a combination of both channels. Across EU5 countries, online grocery shopping is most popular among British youth, with 4% shopping exclusively online and 49% combining online and offline methods. Meanwhile, brick-and-mortar dominates among Italian young consumers, with 72% shopping solely in physical stores.
2. Taste and Price Are the Main Factors Influencing Youth Food Choices
Taste (60%) and price (57%) are the main factors influencing youth food choices. Meanwhile, 32% buy food based on nutritional content (e.g., low sugar/calories, vitamins, protein), 26% prioritise local produce, another 26% seek organic or natural ingredients, and 21% choose food based on recommendations from friends or family.
3. Young Shoppers Are Primarily Worried about Sugar and Calories
When choosing food, 33% of youth cite sugar content as their primary health concern, while 31% are focused on calorie count. Other key concerns include fat content (29%), artificial ingredients and preservatives (22%), protein content (20%), GMOs (14%), and the sustainability of ingredients (14%). Additionally, 12% are concerned about organic ingredients, 11% about sodium/salt levels, and 22% admit they do not care about any of these factors. From a gender perspective, females are significantly more concerned about artificial ingredients and preservatives than males (26% vs. 17%). Conversely, males show greater concern for protein content in food, with 24% compared to 16% of females.
Primary health concerns among 15-27 y.o. when choosing food
Graph: Opeepl Youth Pulse Study, Wave 3 (September 2024)
4. Added Vitamins Are the Top Wish for Fortified Foods
37% of young consumers say they would like to see more food options with added vitamins, and 26% would like more options with added minerals. Other desired fortified foods include those with added fiber (20%), omega-3 fatty acids (17%), antioxidants (12%), probiotics (12%), and collagen (11%). Females show greater interest in fortified foods with added vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, probiotics, and collagen, whereas males are more interested in foods with added fibre compared to females. Both genders show equal interest in foods enriched with omega-3 fatty acids.
5. 39% of Youth Follow a Diet
Research on youth food lifestyles shows that 61% do not follow any specific diet. Meanwhile, 5% follow a dairy-free diet, 5% practice intermittent fasting, 5% are vegetarian, 4% follow a gluten-free diet, 4% are flexitarian, and 4% are vegan. Additionally, 2% of 15-27 y.o. are pescatarian, 2% follow the keto and 2% follow the paleo diet. Females are more likely to follow a diet than males, with 36% of females doing so compared to 28% of males. For instance, 6% of young females and 3% of males identify as vegan. From a country perspective, Germany has the highest percentage of youth following a diet, at 44%, while the UK has the lowest, at 27%.
Discover more trends among 15-27 y.o. consumers in our latest Youth Pulse Report
6. Plant-Based Meals Popular among Non-Vegans and Non-Vegetarians
Plant-based meals are popular among non-vegetarian and non-vegan consumers as well. In fact, 47% of young consumers who don’t identify as vegan or vegetarian have at least one plant-based meal per week. Females are much more likely to eat plant-based meals than males—68% of females who don’t identify as vegetarian or vegan do so, compared to 55% of males. Among the EU5, plant-based meals are most popular in Germany, with 57% consuming them at least once a week and 4% doing so daily. In contrast, they are least popular in France, where 43% never choose plant-based meals.
7. 4 out of 10 Dinners Are Not Cooked at Home
Saturday is the most popular day for European youth to dine out or order takeaway, while Friday is the day when 15-27 y.o. are most likely to eat prepared or ready-to-eat foods, such as frozen pizza. Mondays and Tuesdays are 'cooking-at-home' days, with 74% of young consumers preparing meals on those days. On average, 40% of youth dinners are not cooked at home. Saturday is the most popular day to dine out across all EU5 countries, particularly among Italian and Spanish youth. More than half of 15-27 y.o. Italian consumers and 47% of Spanish consumers dine out on Saturdays.
Youth dinner choices during a typical week
Graph: Opeepl Youth Pulse Study, Wave 3 (September 2024)
8. Young Consumers Are Willing to Pay More for Sustainable Food
Sustainability is an important factor in food choices for 40% of 15-27-year-olds. Among young consumers, it matters most to Italian youth (58%) and least to those in France (36%). Additionally, 70% are willing to pay more for sustainable food, with an average willingness to pay up to 10% extra. Youth in France and the UK are the least likely to pay more for sustainable options (67%), while German youth are the most willing, with 76% expressing a willingness to pay extra.
What This Means for Brands
As we look ahead to 2025, the food market will undoubtedly be shaped by the values and habits of today’s youth. Sustainability, health consciousness, and convenience are driving forces, with notable regional and gender differences. The willingness of young consumers to embrace plant-based meals, pay more for sustainable food, and explore fortified options demonstrates their openness to change and innovation. Understanding these trends is essential for brands in the food industry aiming to meet the needs and expectations of the next generation.
Discover more trends among 15-27 y.o. in Youth Pulse Report
Opeepl Youth Pulse is a bi-annual study that keeps pulse on the latest developments in the youth market. Discover key youth trends in consumer confidence, media habits, attitudes, values, and five major categories: Food, Beverages, Alcohol, Fashion, and Personal Care.