Health – a common concern across Europe
While shoppers all over Europe are increasingly worried about their physical health, this concern is more pronounced in CEE countries, where health is a major concern for 44% of shoppers (compared to 35% in WSE). Exceeding the global average, stress is seen as the biggest negative health factor in numerous CEE countries.
“We have different hypotheses to explain this; an increasing workload may be one of them,” says Magdalena Zimna, CEE Regional Director at YouGov. “People already have fewer holidays than their Western neighbors, and due to a low unemployment rate and labor migration within the EU, there is not enough workforce available locally to support economic growth.”
More than half of CEE shoppers also fear the negative impact of alcohol and tobacco consumption.
5 main factors
Stress (above global average, from 74,0% in Romania to 68,6% in Poland)
Alcohol consumption (within global average, from 62,1% in Romania to 51,1% in Poland)
Tobacco consumption (within global average, from 58,8% in Czechia to 42,5% in Poland)
Lack of mobility (above global average, from 51,1% in Czechia to 48,2% in Poland)
Lack of sleep (within global average, from 50,6% in Romania to 47,1% in Czechia)
Source: Who Cares? Who Does? Health Fall 2024
As a result, one might assume that shoppers in CEE would adopt active health management, but often, we encounter a rather reactive approach to health. Nonetheless, it would be too simple to conclude that CEE shoppers are less interested in an active, health-oriented lifestyle. Magdalena Zimna says: “Shoppers know what is good for them, but especially those with families living in urban areas simply lack the time to integrate mobility or exercise into their rushed lives. Offering them healthy options that are both convenient and affordable could unlock opportunities for both manufacturers and retailers.”
A food-focused approach to health
Food and drinks could present the “CEE way” to a more active stance on health and wellbeing. Hana Rihova, CEE Commercial Director for Advanced Solutions at YouGov, states: “CEE shoppers have a long tradition of home-cooking, and many of them are food lovers. Eating and drinking are an integral part of our culture, considered a pleasure of life.”
Compared to Western European countries, where physical exercise combined with a healthy lifestyle is more relevant, CEE shoppers consider healthy nutrition as most beneficial. More than 40% of CEE shoppers state that health would most likely be the reason to change their habits for breakfast, main meals, and liquid intake. Provided they had the time: More than 65% express preference for meals that do not take long to prepare, and almost one-third of Romanian and Serbian shoppers admit to often grabbing a quick meal on the go. This calls for convenient solutions!
Besides food, CEE shoppers consider supplements to have a positive impact on their health: for example, 70% of Czech consumers favor immune boosters, 61% multivitamins, and 56% collagen supplements. Furthermore, we notice a growing trend to buy products with functional benefits: a closer look into last year’s fastest growing categories reveals that the volume of isotonic soft drinks in Bulgaria grew by 170%, functional drinks increased by 111% in Hungary, and sports nutrition gained 80% in Serbia.
Transparency will drive trust
The growth rates above emphasize the extent to which manufacturers are expected to take responsibility and help consumers to lead a healthy lifestyle – and how successful respective efforts can be. Similarly, retailers have the potential to support shoppers in their efforts. The first step is to understand what CEE shoppers consider the main barriers preventing a healthy lifestyle.
Not surprisingly, price is the number one barrier worldwide, but even more so in CEE countries – e.g., for 61% of shoppers in Poland and 51% in Slovakia. Hence, it is crucial that shoppers appreciate the value of healthy food and trust what they get for their money.
But it is not all about price:
Barriers to healthy choices besides price
Source: Who Cares? Who Does? Health Fall 2024; bold = relatively more relevant in CEE countries vs. global average
There is a lot of confusion about healthy ingredients, packaging, and content. Part of building trust should be to educate shoppers about nutrition and ingredients, also reassuring them that packaged food can be healthy, which is an issue in Romania, where the assortment is also considered to be limited.
Manufacturers and retailers need to understand country-specific requirements. They should try to link to local traditions, broaden their assortment to offer convenient, healthy, and fortified foods – including health enhancers – while paying attention to the aspect of time pressure. Additionally, it is indispensable to provide clarity and transparency with clear labeling, detailed product information, and description of benefits.