‘High protein’ claims dominate Europe

Functionality is trending. People want foods that can give them not just taste but something more, enhancing certain faculties and improving certain health markers.

At the centre of this trend is protein. High protein is booming in a wide range of products, from drinks to breakfast cereals.

How significantly has this trend grown within the past decade? And what does it say about our times?

How significantly have ‘high protein’ claims grown?For the past four years, since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, ‘high protein’ claims have ramped up following an upsurge of interest in functionality and health, explains Ananda Roy, senior VP for consumer goods at Circana.

The increase in such claims “have coincided with the availability of innovative products beyond meat-free substitutes.”

Such trends have been accelerated by popular diets such as keto.

The boom in protein claims has been particularly clear in drinks, with dairy being the main growth driver.

“High protein claims in beverages have centred around dairy-based beverages (with whey isolate as the added protein source – also lactose free) and plant-based beverages/milk (pea, soy or hemp) as added protein source.

“The plant-based beverage sector catapulted this beverage category to success initially, it has since plateaued and dairy-based ready to drink beverages are the growth driver.”

Meal replacement shakes have also been a key part of the trend.

The growth hasn’t been clear across all markets, however. Growth in the UK, according to Kiti Soininen, category director for UK food and drink research at Mintel, has been haphazard.

In 2019, 8% of UK food and non-alcoholic drink offerings saw ‘high protein’ claims. This went down to 5% in 2023, then back up to 7% in 2024.

Growth in protein claims in the UK have been seen across a broad range of products.

“While this latest rise was partly fuelled by products like meat and poultry highlighting their intrinsic protein content, activity has also picked up in many categories not traditionally associated with high protein, such as desserts, yogurt, breakfast cereals, pasta, bread and even cold coffee drinks,” explains Soininen.

Specialist and sports protein, with brands such as Grenade and Myprotein, have helped drive this trend. Even brands such as Gü and Starbucks have developed high protein products.

In late 2024, 21% of consumers said that they considered protein as one of the most important factors of healthy foods, reaching 39% in under-35s.

Why is protein so popular? The popularity of high protein products ties into the wider popularity of fortified, functional and ‘better for me’ foods, according to Circana’s Roy.

Furthermore, the popularity could be being enhanced by product launches themselves, “the wide range of innovative products across categories creating a buzz that are now available, fuelled also by private labels and challenger brand alternatives to global dairy brands.”

On top of this, prices remain low, and consumers understand more about protein than ingredients such as collagen, antioxidants, and amino acids.

Positive views of protein in the UK is driven by a number of factors, according to Mintel’s Soininen.

Some 54% appreciate that people need more protein in their diets as they age, 53% believe that they keep you fuller for longer, and 44% think its an effective way to lose weight.

“While it’s not possible to put a figure on the sales of protein enriched products, the impressive growth of sports nutrition and high-protein active lifestyle products in mainstream retail gives a tangible indication of the momentum enjoyed by the protein trend.”