Health continues to evolve as shoppers increasingly seek food and drink that support their holistic health. Food and drink that supports both their mental and physical wellbeing will help them meet their holistic health goals. However, health is more important in some categories than others. In this article we will explore what is important in health messaging and the categories where health has the strongest influence on purchase decisions.

Message clarity is key

As food trends emerge and dietary advice evolves, an increasing array of health claims are competing to stand out and influence shopper decisions. Shoppers value clarity in nutritional information, as they assess the health credentials of products based on their own metrics and goals. While shoppers  feel responsible for making their own health decisions, they want brands and retailers to make decisions easier through simple, transparent cues.

Artificial ingredients are a growing concern

Across categories, how natural a product is, along with the number of artificial ingredients, are the most important factors influencing shoppers' judgment of a product’s health credentials.

Protein and fibre are top of mind

At the start of the year, protein and fibre were top of shoppers' minds as many set health-based resolutions for the year ahead. These are also the nutrients that GLP-1 users are seeking, demonstrating the overlap between the needs of this growing cohort and those of a broader health-conscious audience. For more GLP-1 insights, head to our GLP-1 hub and reach out to [email protected] to hear more about our GLP-1 insight programme.

Categories with the strongest health expectations

Baby & toddler: Health expectations are highest in this category, as parents weigh up multiple health claims. Shoppers value natural and minimally processed products, while also placing importance on low sugar and functional ingredients that support baby health. As government pressure on the industry to reduce childhood obesity intensifies, clearly communicating a range of health benefits is fundamental within this category.

Fresh produce: Shoppers gravitate to categories with established health credentials and continue to associate a balanced diet with reaching their ‘five‑a‑day’. Fibre content and natural ingredients are particularly important, alongside affordability. Shoppers must balance health benefits with budget constraints, making it essential to reinforce everyday health credentials and position category purchases as a simple, accessible way to add fibre and enrich diets. This is especially important for those on weight loss medication who tend to prioritise fresh produce in their diet but need to consider affordability too.

Cereals: For many health-oriented shoppers, a nutritional breakfast is a necessary start to the day. Sugar content is the primary lens through which shoppers judge health in this category, followed by fibre and artificial ingredients. Given the wide variation in nutritional quality across cereals, clearly communicating nutritional benefits while still delivering on taste can encourage healthier swaps, particularly for shoppers buying for their children.

Health & beauty: While health is not a major choice influencer in this category, its importance is rising as demand for protein powders and nutritional supplements grows. Many shoppers use supplements to complement their diet, creating opportunities for cross‑category activation by pairing protein products with foods they can be added to, such as fruit, dairy or baking ingredients. The growing role of health metrics in this category also signals opportunities for brands to reformulate products with added protein, vitamins, and nutrients.

Health claims should therefore align with category expectations. Using ShopperVista, brands and retailers can assess health metrics at both category and sub-category level and uncover how shoppers assess health claims relevant to each product. Clarity of nutritional claims should remain the priority, and relevant health claims should be reinforced consistently across multiple touchpoints to support decision‑making.

Looking for more insight?

ShopperVista subscribers can unlock deeper insights into shoppers’ mindsets and tap into health trends and trusted habits with our category benchmarks and Segmenting health attitudes report. If you have any questions or would like to explore how we can tailor our research to your business needs, please reach out to [email protected], or contact [email protected]