By 2025, many European consumers will be spending more money in restaurants and takeaways than on their weekly food shop. The current preference for convenience food that is also healthy will be even more pronounced, with people eating at least two meals outside of the home each day. This will drive an increase in the number of healthy fast food establishments, where diners will expect every type of allergy and dietary requirement to be catered for. As consumers will be more concerned with the origin of their produce and able to check it at the click of a button, operators wanting to entice the environmentally aware will place emphasis on seeking out locally sourced produce.

Across Europe, food and service choices will become more polarised between healthy eating and indulgent eating by 2025. There will still be a significant market for more indulgent dining on special occasions or as part of an experiential-led leisure outing. Yet with rising food prices putting pressure on the availability of the highest quality food for all demographic groups, low-cost fast food restaurants will not be lacking customers. The well-informed Generation Z may not advertise its unhealthy eating purchases on social media as the previous Generations X and Y did, but burger joints will remain popular among low-budget consumers seeking cheap, fast comfort food.

For indulgent meals, the usual health consciousness gets put aside. Pizza and pasta will remain the most popular dining choice across the region, while meat and desserts both feature heavily in many dining concepts. The rise of other world cuisines and street food concepts will continue with brands spreading across Europe from west to east. 

Already health trends have cemented the need for keeping fit into the psyche of consumers, both at home through apps and fitness downloads and in the gym, and this will still be the case in 2025 when Europe Active estimates that there could be 80 million health and fitness club memberships across the continent.  Fitness centres will attempt to stand out from the competition by being the first to offer the latest craze, and the distinction between exercise classes and hobbies will merge as trampoline parks and climbing centres combine with concepts like cross-fit and vertical fitness. 

Ultimately, higher participation rates and new formats will allow smaller footprint gyms to take space in smaller trading locations, where 2025’s consumers will work out before tucking in to a healthy, convenient dinner picked up or digitally ordered on their way home. 

Further information

Read more: Megatrends in European Leisure