Greater awareness, globalisation and the epidemic of obesity related ailments has sparked a craze for healthy and natural foods

It’s everywhere. Around every corner you turn and street you head down. It appears in television and radio adverts, and is plastered in some shape or form on just about any commercial space. Healthy food is in – and it has never been bigger.

Across Europe, and in fact the world, the number of vegetarians and vegans is growing rapidly. According to the Vegan Society, the number of vegans in the UK has more than tripled in the last decade; in Sweden, almost 10 percent of the country now identifies with a meatless or vegan diet, while in Germany there are some seven million adherents. A recent survey conducted by Danish supermarket Coop revealed Danes are buying less meat, with a continued decline expected. Across in Spain, the number of vegetarian, vegan or healthy restaurants listed by the Happy Cow website has surged from around 350 in 2011 to over 1,000 today, with other countries in the region showing a similar upswing.

A greater understanding of the reality of factory farming and the environmental impact it has is leading more people to abandon their carnivorous ways. That said, the trend extends further than virtues of morality and empathy; rising numbers are cutting back on animal products out of the simple desire to be healthier, while there is also a growing distaste among the public for any kind of fakery within their diets.

Societal shift
“Artificial ingredients are one of the many things that consumers have become scared of related to the food supply. Many people have started to see packaged and prepared food and drink as ‘overly processed’ and thus far from the ‘real’ food people might find in nature or when cooking from scratch”, said Jenny Zegler, a global food and drink analyst at Mintel. “Many consumers are crafting their own preferences and priorities for ingredients, with many people wary of preservatives, as well as artificial colours and sweeteners. These fears are motivating consumers to seek food that is more ‘simple’, meaning shorter ingredient lists, and ‘real’, which often translates to ingredients that they would have in their homes.”

Along with the greater desire for natural food, the variety of the ingredients themselves – particularly those with added health benefits – continues to surge. As such, globalisation and ease of communication can be held responsible, in part, for the current popularity of exotic superfoods, from chia seeds to quinoa.