US consumers embrace healthier eating

The insight: US consumers’ newfound obsession with protein is driving a surge in sales for yogurt and other “better for you” products.

• North America demand for Danone’s high-protein Oikos Pro range grew by double-digits in Q1, the company said, helping fuel a 3.7% increase in the region’s like-for-like sales.
• Products with at least 25 grams of protein per serving were the fastest-growing grocery category in the 12 months ended February 22, per NielsenIQ data cited by The Wall Street Journal.

The trend: After indulging in comfort foods throughout the pandemic, consumers are now on a health kick. That’s partly a result of rising GLP-1 usage, which is pushing users to increase their protein intake to avoid losing muscle mass. At the same time, a wave of health- and fitness-focused social content is pushing people to consume more protein and scrutinize food labels more closely—leading to grocery aisles crammed with protein-enriched muffins, candy, chips, and other products.