Voice of the Consumer 2025

The global food industry is striving to balance multiple priorities. It’s grappling with how to provide nutritious food while conserving resources—and meeting evolving consumer demands.

Changes in the food sector impact farmers, traders, manufacturers, retailers and the public sector. Their cooperation, innovation and convergence increase—and bring new opportunities. Our recent research indicates that by 2035, the 'How we feed' domain could achieve a baseline gross value added of US$9.88 trillion. There’s also a potential to reach US$10.35 trillion in the best-case scenario.

Central and Eastern Europe is no exception. This shift offers huge opportunities for our market—but is the food industry ready to seize them? What do they need to know about customers to do that?

The CEE edition of our Global Voice of the Consumer Survey unpacks current food buyer habits while looking to a future of food that’s health-focused and tech-driven.

We’re seeing a complex interplay of financial constraints, health aspirations and a keen eye for value. This is redefining how people shop, eat and think about food.

Consumers in CEE are feeling financial pressure more than their global counterparts. They’re concerned about the cost of living, economic instability and geopolitical conflict. Around half of food shoppers in CEE rank these issues among their top three concerns. What sets CEE apart from the global averages is heightened awareness of geopolitical risks (44% vs 27%).

These factors affect buying behaviour and mindset, so food companies must respond. Consumers in CEE aren’t just looking for low prices. They’re seeking real value in every purchase without compromising on quality. This is evident in how buyers in CEE approach grocery shopping. The first thing they consider is price (64%), but taste remains a crucial consideration (56%).

Q: When you're choosing which food items to buy, which factors are most important to you? (Ranked in top three)

For the food industry, successful strategies should focus on affordable food that maintains high taste and nutritional standards. They should also prioritise resilient local sourcing to ease geopolitical concerns.

Customers in CEE are increasingly focused on health-driven food choices. A clear majority (87%) are somewhat reducing their alcohol consumption when making health-related dietary decisions. As many as 37% consistently avoid ultra-processed foods, while over one-third have increased their intake of alternative meats.

Convenience is also a growing trend. Consumers in CEE show a taste for prepared foods. At least once a week, 25% eat ready meals and 16% order takeaways. While customers in CEE dine out less frequently than global averages, their restaurant visits are comparable to Western European habits.

Q: On average, how often do you do the following?

One more important lifestyle shift is that health technology is being increasingly embraced. A substantial majority of consumers in CEE utilise some form of health app or wearable technology. This showcases comfort with health management and diet-related digital tools.

For the food industry, there’s a tangible opportunity to prioritise health offerings, such as minimally processed foods. Expanding convenience foods that align with health-conscious priorities may also appeal. Another solution to support customers’ usage of health-focused technology may be leveraging digital solutions to support meal planning and dietary management.

A clear majority of 79% of consumers are to some extent worried about climate change. While environmental concerns are still evidently on the minds of customers in the region, it’s also seen in purchasing behaviour.

Many customers in CEE are open to spending extra for sustainability. As many as 35% say they will pay more for food to support the likes of improving soil quality and enhancing biodiversity. Additionally, 53% say they could be persuaded to do the same. 

Sustainable behaviour is rooted in daily habits. To reduce their impact on climate change, many consumers in CEE buy only what they need, reduce personal food waste and try to eat what’s in season.

Q: Have you taken any of the following actions to reduce your impact on climate change with the food that you buy and eat? (This question was asked only to those who said climate change worries them)

Reasons for choosing local food extend far beyond environmental concerns. Consumers in CEE see health benefits, perceive better quality and want to support local producers, retailers and the economy. Almost half are willing to pay a premium for local products over cheaper imports.

It’s crucial for the food industry to think locally and understand which sustainable practices are most important for consumers. Many people in CEE prefer pesticide-free foods (52%), locally produced items (46%) and environmentally friendly packaging (34%) in this context.