Romania: Contradictions of life (and health)
Romania presents a unique case of discrepancy between consumers’ perception of their health and reality. Half of Romanian shoppers are concerned about their health, and they have good reasons for this: Romania is one of the European countries with the lowest life expectancy at birth, alongside Bulgaria, Hungary, and Serbia. With only 60.2 years of healthy life expectancy, the country ranks way below the European average.
Surprisingly, Romanians feel quite good about their health. Before the COVID pandemic, 71% described their health as good or very good, and only 19% reported any chronic disease or longstanding health problem – among the lowest rates across Europe.*
In 2024, 71% of households in our Romanian shopper panel still state that they are doing well, both physically and mentally.
Compared to consumers in Czechia, Slovakia, and Poland, Romanians report a more active approach to health, claiming to follow numerous lifestyle and diet practices, including efforts to reduce stress and get good sleep. Their mental wellbeing and physical health are closely linked, and the share of health-active shoppers in Romania is nearly on par with the global benchmark. Romanian shoppers also pay more attention to a balanced diet, often avoiding sugar and processed foods. At the same time, indulgence is important for Romanian shoppers and is not seen as contradictory to a healthy lifestyle: healthy food can be indulgent – and make you feel good!
* Source: European Commission, European Core Health Indicators - ECHI
Health Actives
Shoppers who adopt numerous diet and lifestyle practices always and often to stay healthy. This group is more likely to purchase vitamins and healthier foods, like fresh and frozen vegetables and less sugary foods.
The natural helper in engineering health
Romanians feel particularly comfortable in their own skin, and their secret recipe could be their trust in naturalness where healthcare reaches its limits. Healthy ingredients (25%) top the list of choice drivers for everyday goods, followed by natural ingredients (15%), and outpacing price perception, which ranks third (11%). There is a close link between health and naturalness, especially in the context of food: more than half of Romanians consider natural and organic ingredients essential, whether for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacking. “Many local, regional, and traditional products are inherently regarded as healthy and natural, and this perception of healthiness and naturalness is actively promoted by respective associations,” confirms Aura Matei, YouGov Senior Consultant from Romania.
A majority of Romanian consumers eat meat, and 72% consider it beneficial for their wellbeing. At the same time, meat reduction is more popular in this country than anywhere else in CEE, though still below the global average: 34% are reducing meat, 7% follow a vegetarian diet, and 4% follow a vegan diet. To understand Romanians’ relationship with meat, some context is needed. Aura Matei reminds us of food shortages in the ‘80s, economic insecurities in the early ‘90s, and subsequent affluence: “As the food shortages were over and households’ economics improved, meat became part of almost every meal. Today, several segments of consumers have become more health-conscious and might reconsider their meat consumption, but many will certainly not give up meat altogether.”
Top products considered beneficial for wellbeing
Milk
Probiotics or gut friendly foods
Meat
⬤ Global ⬤ Romania
Source: Who Cares? Who Does? Health Fall 2024 Romania vs. Global Average
Coffee
Supplements aiming to boost immunity
Collagen supplements
Romanian consumers also consider milk and probiotics very beneficial for their health and believe in the benefits of supplements. In addition to eating natural and fresh food, they are interested in engineering their health through selected products.
This may be one reason why the Greek dairy company Olympus has been very successful in Romania: last year, the company increased market penetration by more than 17% to nearly 44%, and spend by nearly 35%. Olympus delivers on numerous health promises with ranges including bifidus, protein, plant-based, and organic products, also offering organic milk with added vitamins targeted at parents, thus addressing shoppers’ openness to supplements.
What helps Romanian consumers when they need an instantaneous energy kick? Certainly not energy drinks, which 90% consider harmful. Again, naturalness counts, and 69% view coffee as beneficial for their well-being – almost double the global average.
In Romania, naturalness is key – and supporting health and self-optimization by offering easy-to-integrate functional foods and drinks is essential!