Route to Market Strategy

Summary The UK’s evolving approach to less healthy food and drink is changing the commercial landscape for packaged food brands. New advertising restrictions are part of that change, but the bigger picture extends well beyond marketing compliance. Product formulation, innovation, positioning, retailer relationships and changing consumer expectations are all influencing where future growth opportunities may… Continue reading Beyond HFSS: The Commercial Opportunity for Healthier Food Brands in the UK

For brands, the new competitive advantage is no longer price alone, but the ability to build trust, empathy and lasting emotional connections with consumers. Increasingly, purchases are driven by emotion rather than necessity. Italy’s e-commerce market is accelerating rapidly and is set to become one of the country’s most important drivers of consumer spending. Forecasts… Continue reading Emotional shopping is driving Italy’s e-commerce boom, with the market expected to reach $148 billion by 2030

A recent Shopper Insights study by YouGov (April 2026)* shows a clear shift in the German market: consumers no longer follow strict diet concepts, but instead selectively combine different nutrition trends. High awareness of key nutrition trends Nutrition remains a highly relevant topic for German consumers: – 47% actively and continuously follow nutrition topics, particularly… Continue reading German consumers mix food trends instead of following diets

The ambition to eat better and consume more responsibly is clear among French consumers, yet the contents of their shopping baskets tell a different story. Data presented at Worldpanel by Numerator’s annual Consumer Day reveals a market caught in a complex paradox that innovative food companies can no longer afford to ignore. Although French shoppers… Continue reading The tension between good intentions and affordability in the French market

For decades, success in the UK grocery market was measured by one metric above all others: share of basket. Today, however, a more important battleground is emerging—share of stomach. While in Q1 2026 coffee and bakery chains are growing their share (+5%), grocery’s growth doesn’t quite equal inflation at +2.7%, while in the hospitality sector… Continue reading The battle for the UK’s changing ‘share of stomach’

Finland is currently discussing proposed changes to its Food Market Act that could limit how retailers prioritise and expand their own private label brands. Private labels have become an essential part of modern retail. They provide consumers with affordable alternatives, strengthen price competition, and play an especially important role during periods of inflation and economic… Continue reading Is Finland considering limits on private labels?

How Hybrid Meat Products Are Reshaping Dutch Supermarkets A growing proportion of meat products in Dutch supermarkets contain significant amounts of plant-based ingredients — up to 40% — without this being clearly indicated on the packaging. Research by Wageningen’s Foodvalley shows that products such as minced meat, burgers and sausages are often enriched with plant… Continue reading Meat containing 40% plants: no clear labelling in Dutch supermarkets