There is an “intention-behaviour gap” among consumers in Europe, with a desire for healthier eating being derailed by a lack of affordability and problems with breaking habits, a new study has suggested.
The new survey from non-profit group EIT Food found health remains the “dominant driver of dietary change” among consumers in Europe, outranking affordability and sustainability concerns.
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Of the 19,954 consumers surveyed across 18 countries in Europe in July and August last year, 51% said they want to eat more healthily.
However, actual improvements in diet quality were found to be “limited”, especially among younger Europeans, with affordability and entrenched habits cited as the two most “significant” barriers.
About a third of all respondents said they avoided salty, fatty, sugary or processed foods despite recognising the negative health impacts.
The report from also found, based on self-reported intakes of ingredients, that most Europeans claim to not be eating enough fruit, protein and fibre.
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By GlobalDataConsumers shared a high interest in increasing protein intake, with 44% of younger consumers still seeking to eat more of the ingredient, compared to 22% of older counterparts.
Conversely, fibre was of less importance, with less than half of the surveyed consumers planning to boost their consumption.
“The data suggests that dietary change in Europe is constrained less by awareness and more by structural and financial pressures. Without addressing these barriers, aspirations are unlikely to translate into sustained behavioural shifts,” EIT Food said, reflecting on the report.
Interest in sustainable eating has also declined. While 76% of respondents in 2021 agreed with the intention to live sustainably, this dropped to 69% in 2025. In practice, just under half of those surveyed believed they eat a sustainable diet.
Half of all consumers surveyed said they eat seasonal fruits and vegetables, while only 16% said they avoid animal products – a decline from 18% in 2024.
EIT Food’s report also found younger consumers were more willing to make more sustainable dietary choices, such as eating more organic foods and food from regenerative agriculture.
Over 40% of people surveyed between 18 and 34 said they intend to eat more organic foods.
Nearly 30% of the younger consumers surveyed plan to increase their intake of regenerative agriculture products, compared to the 20% of those over 55 years.
When it came to animal-based products, 59% said they would keep their intake “about the same” while 18% said they would eat less and 23% said they would eat more.
EIT Food has called for “more diversified and pragmatic” action from industry and policymakers.
This includes creating “accessible and convenient” healthy products in Europe, supporting affordability through policy and finding ways to connect sustainability to health benefits for consumers.
“Without addressing affordability and routine constraints, consumer motivation alone is unlikely to deliver large-scale dietary transformation,” said EIT Food.
Klaus G. Grunert, professor of marketing at Aarhus University and lead of the EIT Food Consumer Observatory, said: “This research shows that Europeans largely understand what healthier and more sustainable eating looks like, but intention alone is not enough. Health is the strongest driver of food choices, yet affordability pressures and entrenched habits continue to shape what people actually eat.
“If we want to see meaningful dietary change, particularly with the adoption of sustainable foods which are declining in importance as financial pressures mount, the major food choice drivers of taste and affordability need to be better connected to healthy and sustainable options. Solutions must fit with people’s real-world constraints, not just their aspirations.”
