New research has revealed five key trends for the UK food and drink industry over the next 12 months. Consumers consider sustainability an essential for brands, along with ingredient simplicity driven by the recent increase in awareness of UPF. Also front of mind for consumers is value, health, and new flavours in the drink space.
Sustainability will be a baseline expectation as environmental impact moves firmly into the mainstream. Nine in ten (90%) shoppers now consider the environmental consequences of their packaging choices, making recyclable or natural formats a core part of product quality rather than a bonus.
According to the latest Consumer Horizon Report from product intelligence business, Vypr, the confidence gap is widening as consumers gravitate towards products that feel simple, transparent and low-risk. Nearly four in five (79%) trust snacks with fewer, more natural ingredients, and almost two in five (39%) feel ‘definitely’ more assured by this. Meanwhile, complexity is actively deterring purchase: less than one in seven (13%) will buy a snack containing too many unfamiliar ingredients, dropping to just 7% among women over 45.
This shift links directly to formulation too, with 22% of consumers putting high-protein snacks back on the shelf because the ingredients feel artificial, showing how sustainability, simplicity and authenticity are becoming intertwined purchase cues. Traditional and more familiar treats such as standard chocolate bars are preferred over a protein bar by 55% of consumers, rising to 65% among over-55s.
Value is redefined for 2026 through own-label growth and affordable indulgence, as the cost-of-living landscape drives shoppers to seek reassurance and small pleasures simultaneously. One in three (33%) shoppers now have a more positive view of own-label than three years ago, rising to 47% among women aged 18–24, who see supermarket brands as credible, not compromising.
Health is being reframed around low sugar and natural cues. When seeking healthier choices, 41% gravitate towards low-sugar products, 38% towards natural ingredients, and 34% towards low-calorie positioning, while only 26% see protein as the most persuasive claim.
New drinking behaviours are emerging across cocktails and wellness crossovers, with men aged 35–44 buying 1.6× more ready-made cocktails than average (42% vs 27%), signalling growing comfort with premium convenience. Meanwhile, trust again shapes experimentation beyond alcohol: 29% would try a wellness-oriented scent or functional product if they trusted the ingredients, revealing growing interplay between lifestyle, mood and consumption.
Ben Davies, founder of Vypr, said: “Consumers are rewarding brands that are transparent, open and brilliantly focused on their niche. With 79% of shoppers trusting snacks with fewer, more natural ingredients, the market is telling us that clarity beats complexity. Brands that reduce cognitive load offering fewer additional benefit claims, fewer additives and clearer labels are the ones that convert.
“It is an exciting time for food and drink brands, especially new to market and challenger brands as the food and drink landscape is more diverse than ever before. From own-label innovation to new wellness-led formats, there has never been a stronger market for emerging brands to gain traction, provided they communicate simply, honestly and with purpose.”
