New research has revealed that just 25% of Brits have tried a health or food fad in the past year, and half have already abandoned it. Cost, effort, and a lack of noticeable results are the biggest reasons for giving up, according to a study from product intelligence business Vypr.
Around half of those who quit said they did so within the first month. Of those who abandoned a fad, 30% cited cost, 21% found it too difficult to maintain, and 19% saw no noticeable benefit.
Protein Shows Staying Power
The research looked at several major health trends currently shaping grocery, including the continued rise of protein, growing interest in gut health, the backlash against artificial sweeteners, and the limited impact of concerns around seed oils.
Protein is showing considerable staying power, with sales in protein-based foods growing 9.6% in value over the latest 26-week period, according to NIQ data. However, just 24% of consumers believe a "high protein" label means a product is genuinely better for them.
The demographic driving the protein boom is not the one traditionally associated with it. Over-55s are increasing their protein intake faster than any other age group and are the biggest buyers of protein powder, suggesting the category has moved beyond its original gym-going audience.
Gut Health and Sugar Reduction Trends
Gut health is also moving further into the mainstream, but shoppers are moving away from added fibre, with around one in five reaching for fermented foods and probiotics. While 40% believe gut health affects mood or mental health, just 4% buy gut-health products specifically for that reason.
Sugar reduction is becoming a mainstream behaviour, with 61% cutting back on sugar most or every day. Consumers increasingly want to achieve this by eating less-sweet food rather than replacing sugar with artificial alternatives, with 62% now actively avoiding artificial sweeteners.
Despite the noise surrounding seed oils online, the backlash appears to have made relatively little impact on the grocery trolley. Just 13% have regularly changed what they buy because of concerns about seed oils, while only 8% of those who avoid them cite social media as a reason.
What Makes a Health Trend Stick
The research suggests that the health fads most likely to stick are those that are affordable, easy to maintain, and deliver a benefit consumers can see, rather than simply those generating the most noise online.
Ben Davies, founder of Vypr, said: "Taken together, the findings point to a broader shift in what shoppers consider 'healthy'. Trends that stick tend to be those that are easy to understand, affordable and deliver a benefit consumers can see in their everyday lives."
"That doesn't mean consumers are turning away from innovation. There is still strong interest in products offering additional health benefits, but the opportunity for brands and retailers is to make those benefits relevant to everyday needs and occasions," he added.
