More fibre, less sugar: How new health priorities are shaping food purchases
Evolving health priorities and new nutrition labels are influencing how Canadians evaluate what goes into their grocery carts.
That was the focus of a recent NIQ webinar, “How health, regulation and longevity are reshaping Canadian FMCG demand,” which presented consumer survey findings and market data.
Health continues to be a major focus for Canadians, with 76% saying they are concerned about future health problems, according to NIQ’s 2025 Health & Wellness report. Yet cost is a barrier, with 59% saying healthier alternatives are too expensive. In addition, 28% don’t feel driven to make healthier choices, 24% say they don’t have time to make healthier choices and 23% have difficulty finding healthier alternatives.
“Clearly, [health] is very much on our radars for the vast majority of us, but it isn’t easy to match those intentions with the actual behaviour in many cases,” said Nick Gibson, Canada lead, NIQ product insights.
The impact of front-of-pack labels
With Canada’s front-of-pack nutrition labelling now in effect, warnings for high fat, sugar and sodium are starting to reshape shopping behaviour, according to NIQ’s Front of Packaging study.
When asked what they’re most concerned about on the labels, sugar was the top concern (77%), followed by sodium (66%) and saturated fat (64%). Though not part of the front-of-pack label program, nearly half of consumers are concerned about artificial sweeteners (47%) and artificial colours (46%).
“It’s clear that for a number of consumers, simply replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners, for example, is not going to fly,” said Gibson. “And so, reformulation decisions are a very delicate balancing act.”
READ: Front-of-package labels are already shaping shopper behaviour
But are these concerns impacting purchases? “We are seeing that products labelled with front-of-pack warnings are declining deeper than non-front-of-pack labelled counterparts across the board,” said Gibson. “However, what is not clear so far is that front-of-pack labels themselves are accelerating this trend.”
Still, many consumers say the new labels will make them buy less or stop buying certain products altogether. Food categories most affected include bakery (46% buying less and 8% stopping completely), packaged snacks (46% and 7%), candy and sweets (43% and 7%), frozen (37% and 10%) and breakfast cereals (37% and 10%).
The top beverages consumers intend to cut back on include iced tea (43% buying less and 12% stopping completely), red juice (45% and 9%), sports and energy drinks (39% and 12%), and sweetened beverages (41% and 8%).
The gut-health opportunity in grocery
With rising interest in digestive wellness and expanding food and beverage messaging, gut health is moving into the mainstream. In an NIQ survey on gut health, 65% of Canadians say it’s very important and 29% say it’s important. Healthcare providers are the primary source of gut-health information (51%), followed by friends and family (30%), social media influencers (26%) and food packaging (20%).
To improve gut health, consumers look first to food, not supplements. Half of respondents say a mostly food-based approach is the best way to improve gut health, 36% say food and supplements are equally effective, and 8% agree a mostly supplement-based approach is the most effective.
READ: Is fibre the next must-have nutrient?
The most regularly consumed gut-health products are prebiotic-rich foods such as bananas and oats (42%), high-fibre foods including whole grains, fruits and vegetables (34%), fibre-enhanced baked goods (24%), and better-for-you snacks such as high-fibre bars (23%).
On this front, Canadians don’t find grocery-store shelves to be lacking. Nearly two-thirds feel there are already enough options in the market, with 50% reporting there are more than enough and another 12% saying there is a good amount. One-quarter of respondents say there are not enough options.
“[For retailers], the challenge is not assortment, it’s going to be about navigation and clarity,” said Jenny Mabley, vice president, consumer panel services at NIQ. “Winning here is less about more SKUs and more about helping shoppers find, understand, and trust what's already available.” One suggestion is to build gut-health navigation within existing categories leveraging shelf tags or headers like “gut-friendly” picks.
Unlocking healthy aging
Healthy aging is on the minds of many Canadians. In NIQ’s Healthy Aging & Longevity Lifestyles survey, 58% say it’s very important and another 35% say it’s important. They’re also thinking about healthy aging differently.
“It’s no longer reactive—it’s preventative and it’s intentional,” said Mabley. “Importantly, this mindset is starting earlier in life, not just at older ages. That’s fundamentally changing consumers and how they think about health, independence and the daily choices they are making.”
The vast majority of Canadians (96%) believe nutrition plays a key role in long-term healthy aging. The top food choices for long-term health include green vegetables (77%) high-fibre foods (59%), lean protein (57%) and whole grains (47%).
Around 60% believe current products adequately meet their healthy aging needs. There is also strong interest in trying new healthy aging products not yet widely available in Canada (26% are very interested and 37% are somewhat interested). Canadians show the strongest interest in gender-specific products, sleep support solutions and joint/mobility supplements.
“Innovation should be focused and it should be purposeful,” said Mabley.
