Despite continuing to be frugal with everyday purchases, European shoppers are spending extravagantly on indulgent food moments that nourish both mind and body - at a time when worries about global conflict, climate concerns and ongoing economic pressures are shaping our daily lives.
That’s according to research group Circana’s new Eat Play Love report, which offers a snapshot of consumer habits in 2025, drawing on industry-leading tech, AI and consumer data across Europe’s food retail, foodservice and other markets.
Forget carbs, fat, sugar and alcohol - today, indulgence in food is about exciting and new global flavours, carefully sourced ingredients and even acquiring new cooking skills, the report reveals. A well-curated meal kit can scratch the indulgence itch as much as a chocolate bar or tub of ice cream, it appears.
The report also shows how snacks are no longer just eaten between meals, but alongside and often instead of a traditional breakfast, lunch or dinner. 13% of Europeans say they eat snacks instead of a main meal, and 28% consume them alongside one. In addition, 40% of snack products consumed outside the home are now eaten at lunch or dinner.
Snacking now accounts for nearly 40% of all edible grocery value, delivering €234bn in value sales; up 2.9% or an additional €7bn in 2024 compared to 2023.
Also, it seems almost anything can function as a snack - including pickles, boiled eggs and even frozen pizza. What matters to consumers is that their snack fits into their day and meets their lifestyle, Circana says. Almost half of European consumers say snacking regularly is a form of self-care, while 73% indulge while watching screens - with nearly half regarding it as a wellbeing ritual.
“Eating is no longer just about satisfying hunger; it’s about boosting moods, adding excitement to every meal and enhancing everyday rituals,” said Ananda Roy, senior vice president of strategic insights and thought leadership EMEA at Circana. “The convenience, flexibility and variety offered by snack foods is a great example. Today, snacks are less a guilty pleasure and more a deliberate purchase.”
Other highlights from the report include the news that, in the UK specifically, breakfast and snacking are currently the best performing dayparts. Breakfast visits grew by 5% and snacking by 4% last year, compared with a 4% drop for lunch and a 5% drop for dinner.
During breakfast, sweet bakery items grew by 13%, with muffins, brownies, doughnuts and cookies all registering strong growth in 2024. Even though total lunch visits declined, sweet bakery items saw growth of 4% during this daypart in 2024.
Similarly, whilst total dinner visits decreased, sweet bakery items grew by 6% and savoury bakery items also saw growth of 3% during dinner, highlighting an opportunity for convenience retail to pick up this slack by making categories such as in-store bakery, snack lines and more available at multiple times across the day.
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