29 Jan 2026
We have collaborated with the EIT Food Consumer Observatory on a newly published consumer study examining how healthier indulgent foods can be developed and positioned to better align with consumer expectations.
The research, titled Finding harmony: Where health meets indulgence in food, explores how consumers perceive the relationship between indulgence, health, and balance, with a particular focus on sweet baked goods.
The study highlights that many consumers continue to associate indulgence with guilt and tend to be skeptical of health or functional claims. The findings suggest that products positioned around enjoyment, care, and everyday moments resonate more strongly than those framed around restriction or “guilt-free” messaging. Trust, recognizable ingredients, and transparent communication were identified as important factors influencing consumer acceptance.
Consumers are most open to healthier indulgence in everyday, routine moments – especially when they want to build healthy habits without giving up the pleasure of a treat. The report shows that everyday moments spent alone or with close family such as around gym visits, relaxing in the evening, boosting mood, or enjoying a weekend breakfast, are better suited to healthier indulgence, while conventional indulgence plays a bigger role in celebrations and social bonding.
Healthier indulgence is no longer a niche, but a growing expectation during specific consumption moments. The diversification in offering is something that consumers are expecting from the industry to supply, so they have a product that serves their personal needs throughout the day.
Sara De Pelsmaeker - Group Health & Well-Being Director, Puratos
Sweet baked goods emerged as a particularly promising area, fitting naturally into family routines and offering opportunities to improve nutritional value without compromising enjoyment. Consumption moments for healthier, indulgent sweet baked goods skew strongly toward casual, day-to-day occasions that elevate and improve daily life, while traditional sweet baked goods are more often chosen for special celebrations (such as birthdays or weddings) or holidays.
The research was developed by the EIT Food Consumer Observatory, which brings together consumer insight, academic expertise, and industry collaboration to support evidence-based innovation in the food sector. EIT Food is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union.
We contributed our industry expertise to the research as part of our collaboration with EIT Food. The study aims to provide guidance for food manufacturers seeking to better balance taste, wellbeing, and consumer trust in indulgent food categories.
“Collaboration between industry and research is essential to addressing complex challenges in food and nutrition,” added Sara De Pelsmaeker. “By combining scientific research, consumer insight, and practical expertise, we can support the development of healthier indulgent products that resonate with how people actually eat.”
Finding harmony: Where health meets indulgence in food,a study conducted by EIT Food Consumer Observatory in 2025 with 110 participants from 17 European countries.
