The increased incidence of dietary intolerances, allergies and new eating habits are increasing the sales opportunities for ‘free from functional’ products in Spain. ‘Free from’ retail sales in Spain reached $1.2 billion in 2018 (+12%).
An USDA’s GAIN report includes data from “The Green Revolution”, prepared by Lantern consultancy based on more than 2,000 interviews. According to Lantern, the combined number of Spanish vegans, vegetarians and flexitarians has grown from 7.8 to 9.9% in the period 2017-2019.
The Lantern’s report shows an increasing openness in Spanish consumers to try new products. During the 2018 Free From Expo held in Barcelona, several industry observers qualified this increase in consumer preference towards FFFF as more than trend and more as a long-term change in consumer behavior as more and more Spanish consumers want to eat and live healthier.
The free from retail sales in Spain reached $1.2 billion in 2018, a 12% increase compared to previous year (Table 1 and Table 2). Mercadona (one of the Spanish largest retailers) leads with a 14% retail value share. In addition, sales are expected to reach $2.7 billion in 2023.
Source: agroberichtenbuitenland.nl