As the sun set on 2024 we looked at the trend wars set to rage in 2025.
They were:
- Body Positivity vs Weight Loss
- Luxury vs Rustic
- Plant-Based vs Animal-Based
- Limited Edition vs Nostalgia
Here are the results.
Body Positivity vs Weight Loss
Winner: Weight Loss
There’s no doubt that when it comes to food and beverage, weight loss has won the battle against the body positivity movement.
While the body positivity movement was big in the 2010s, it began to lose steam in the 2020s, and with the advent of GLP-1’s seems to have disappeared from the food and beverage conversation completely.
And let’s face it, GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs have been huge in 2025, reshaping consumer behaviours in ways many could not have predicted even just 12 months ago.
While it’s not known exactly how many people are using GLP-1 drugs worldwide, it’s believed to be well into the tens of millions. What’s more, the global market value is estimated to be an eyewatering $70bn (€59.7bn), with its projected 12.7% CAGR taking it to a staggering $201bn by 2033 (market researchers Grand View Research).
These measurable economic consequences give weight‑loss trends far greater influence than body positivity.
At the same time, body positivity has lost much of the cultural momentum it held in the 2010s. As Mia Barnes, founder and editor-in-chief of Body+Mind magazine notes, the movement is no longer the force it once was, drowned out by the popularity of weight‑loss drugs and the resurgence of appearance‑driven trends.
And where consumers lead, industry inevitably follows, with major food and beverage manufacturers rapidly adapting their portfolios, packaging, and messaging to serve the growing population of GLP‑1 users.
Among the most proactive is America’s Conagra, introducing its ‘On Track’ GLP‑1‑friendly badge across select Healthy Choice meals, and rolling out smaller‑portion frozen items within brands like Healthy Choice and Marie Callender’s.
General Mills has taken a similar approach, marketing high‑protein versions of its Progresso soups directly towards GLP-1 users, and focusing on nutrient density that aligns with suppressed appetites and protein‑forward preferences.
And Nestlé has gone even further, launching its first new brand in nearly 30 years specifically formulated for GLP‑1‑influenced eating patterns - a signal of how transformative the company expects these medications to be.
Daily Harvest is also innovating, creating entirely new high‑protein, long‑satiety breakfast options in response to rising consumer requests from GLP‑1 users.
Danone and Nissin are reformulating or repositioning their product lines to be higher in protein and fibre, and more satiety‑driven.
Together, these shifts show just how dramatically GLP‑1s are reshaping the food and beverage landscape.
Whether this signals a long-term redefinition of wellness or simply the latest phase in an evolving cultural cycle, the balance has unmistakably tipped.
For now, weight‑loss‑driven innovation is leading the conversation, and the industry is moving to keep pace.
Luxury vs Rustic
Winner: Luxury
While this isn’t quite the slam dunk of weight loss over body positivity, luxury remains a clear winner in the battle against the rustic food trend.
Luxury has steadily overtaken rustic in the food and beverage landscape, driven by consumers’ growing appetite for premiumisation, exclusivity, and craftsmanship.
And as demand rises for gourmet, artisanal, and rare ingredients, manufacturers are doubling down on high‑end offerings - from Bonne Maman’s artisanal jams, which have become top‑tier luxury pantry staples, to specialty producers supplying whitefish caviar, now among the best‑selling items in fine food wholesale.
Ready meals are also getting the luxury treatment as consumer demand grows, with manufacturers elevating their offerings well beyond traditional frozen dinners. This is particularly evident in the private-label sector, with Waitrose No.1 range, Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference and Tesco Finest just some of the many options.
But the sector proving most successful in the luxury space?Confectionery. And brands are embracing the trend hard.
Nestlé, Mars, Lindt and Mondelēz are all pushing further into the luxury end of confectionery as premiumisation reshapes the global chocolate market.
Nestlé has strengthened its position as one of the world’s largest chocolate companies by doubling down on premium formats like its European KitKat tablet launch, which expands its footprint in higher‑value chocolate categories. Mars continues to elevate its offer through innovation and product differentiation, introducing new M&M’s and Twix formats while investing heavily in cocoa sustainability via CRISPR‑enhanced cacao crops - an approach that bolsters both quality and ethical credentials, key drivers of the premium sector. Lindt, long established as a leader in luxury chocolate, is benefitting from the global shift toward premium gifting and high‑quality treats - its premium positioning, powered by products like Lindor and the new Dubai‑Style Chocolate, is reinforced by strong pricing power and sustained organic growth even amid soaring cocoa costs. And finally, Mondelez, owner of Cadbury, Milka and Toblerone, is investing in premium ranges that maintain accessibility while elevating its brands’ quality cues.
And as social media amplifies high‑gloss indulgence over rustic simplicity, brands are likely to continue investing in craftsmanship, regional provenance, and rare ingredients to stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Rustic foods may still carry appeal through comfort, but the momentum lies firmly with products that signal status, scarcity, and sensory sophistication, placing luxury squarely in the lead.
Plant-Based vs Animal-Based
Winner: Animal-Based
There’s no doubt that in 2025, animal-based food and beverage products have regained the upper hand after years of rapid plant-based expansion.
While plant-based once dominated headlines and investment, the trajectory has shifted - plant-based growth has slowed, expectations have tempered, and animal-based products have experienced a powerful resurgence driven by taste, price, familiarity, and shifting consumer sentiment.
Globally, plant-based retail sales continue to grow, with an 8.5% CAGR (Zion Market Research), but there are clear signs of a slowdown, with the category facing challenges in the form of reduced investment, uneven sales performance across regions, and persistent barriers such as cost and perceptions of artificiality.
“There’s a noticeable recalibration happening,” says Alon Chen, CEO of Tastewise. “While the broader trend of plant-based eating still holds cultural capital, recent consumer data reveals that traditional animal-based categories are regaining attention.”
But while plant-based cools, animal-based is roaring back.
High-protein, whole-food, minimally processed animal products now sit at the centre of rising wellness narratives - especially amidst the boom in GLP‑1 drugs, which have accelerated consumer interest in protein-rich, nutrient-dense foods.
At the same time, shoppers disappointed by plant-based imitations are returning to animal products for taste, value and simplicity.
Innova Market Insights reports that interest in plant-based “imitation” meats is declining, while consumers increasingly prefer wholefood formats, including traditional meat and dairy, over ultra‑processed alternatives.
Likewise, plant-based price inflation has widened the gap, with cost a significant barrier to category growth.
Taken together, these dynamics paint a clear picture - animal-based products have re-established dominance in the food and beverage conversation.
Limited Edition vs Nostalgia
Winner: Nostalgia
When it comes to food and beverage trends, limited editions may bring the hype, but nostalgia brings the heart, and in 2025 it’s nostalgia that won consumers over.
Limited-time drops still grab attention, but they can feel fleeting, gimmicky and overly engineered.
Nostalgia, on the other hand? It taps directly into emotion, comfort and memory, an unbeatable combination in a world where everyone could use a little extra reassurance.
Brands big and small have been leaning in. Cadbury has been riding the nostalgia wave with re-releases of fan favourites and throwback flavours tied to childhood memories, part of a broader global movement where retro snacks and classic formats are making a comeback.
Nostalgic treats - from Golden Oreo Cakesters reintroduced after more than a decade to classic fast‑food menu items - have seen a resurgence across categories, with consumers happily snapping up products that bring back the “good old days”.
At the beverage end of the spectrum, big names like PepsiCo have tapped into the trend by reviving retro profiles and aesthetics - like revitalised soda fountain–style flavours and Y2K‑inspired branding - capitalising on Gen Z’s obsession with all things vintage as well as Millennials’ desire for familiar comfort.
And the broader industry is responding too. Newstalgia (nostalgia with a modern twist) is now recognised as a major strategic force, with brands across food and drink reimagining retro flavours and packaging to spark emotional connection.
And while limited editions still have their place, their impact is short-lived. Nostalgia, however, keeps people coming back.
What 2025’s trend wars really tell us
As the dust settles on our 2025 trend wars, the food and beverage landscape shows just how quickly consumer priorities are shifting, and how the winners aren’t always the ones we might have predicted.
Of course, that doesn’t mean the “losing” trends are gone for good. Plant-based will keep evolving, rustic charm will always have an audience, and limited editions will continue to spark excitement.
And while 2025 might be coming to an end, the trend wars most certainly aren’t. In fact, they’re just getting interesting.
Stay tuned to find out what the biggest battles of 2026 will be...
