Signal About half of consumers report cutting artificial ingredients, ultra-processed food, sugar, and alcohol

Summary

McKinsey reports that roughly half of consumers across major markets say they are actively cutting back on artificial ingredients, highly processed foods, sugar, and alcohol. The finding comes from its food and beverage survey conducted in December 2025 with about 1,500 respondents in each of ten countries, including Brazil, China, India, Japan, the UK, and the US. At the same time, consumers are looking for foods linked to health and nutrition goals, such as those rich in protein, fibre, and other nutrients. The report reads these shifts as evidence that growing access to real-time health data is already changing what people eat and drink. For food and beverage companies, growth is moving toward products that reduce the trade-offs between taste, price, and function.