CHICAGO — Sept. 16, 2025 — Circana LLC™ recently released its 40th annual "Eating Patterns in America" report, revealing how economic uncertainty and consumer resilience are reshaping food and beverage consumption patterns. The comprehensive study analyzes over $1.7 trillion spent on more than 618 billion eating and drinking occasions, providing the most complete view of American food and beverage behavior available.

Despite mixed economic signals and concerns about tariffs, Americans continue demonstrating remarkable adaptability in their eating habits. The research shows consumers are increasingly seeking versatility in their food and beverage choices, with traditional boundaries between meals and snacks continuing to blur as people look for solutions throughout their day.

"There are two words I will use to describe the current state of consumer behavior today: uncertainty and resilience," said David Portalatin, senior vice president and industry advisor for Food and Foodservice at Circana. "There are several elements like tariffs, immigration policy, and the narrative around the purity and quality of our food supply that seem to make the future uncertain. But despite the uncertainty, there are signs that consumers and the economy are resilient. Midway through 2025 inflation is relatively low, employment is strong, and food and beverage spending is still growing around 3% versus a year ago."

The return-to-office movement is creating new demand patterns, with office occupancy averaging 52% in 2025 compared to 49% the previous year. This shift is driving increased demand for portable and convenient food options that fit into commute and workplace routines. Morning meal traffic at foodservice locations increased in Q1 2025, marking the first increase since Q2 2023.

Protein demand continues to surge, with 41% of adults actively seeking to increase their protein intake, fueling sales growth for products with protein claims compared to those without such claims across the store.

The report also identifies a notable "return to purity" trend, with consumers increasingly avoiding artificial sweeteners, colors, and ultra-processed foods. This movement is gaining momentum alongside broader "Make America Healthy Again" initiatives, as 28% of adults now avoid artificial sweeteners and 25% avoid artificial colors and flavors.

Consumer versatility is evident in how snack foods are increasingly consumed during meal occasions rather than between meals. The gap between snacking occasions and meal-replacement snacking continues to shrink, with 462 annual snacking occasions now occurring during mealtimes compared to 789 between meals.

For more information or to purchase the full report, contact your Circana representative or visit Eating Patterns in America.

About Circana

Circana is a leader in providing technology, AI, and data to fast-moving consumer packaged goods companies, durables manufacturers, and retailers seeking to optimize their businesses. Circana’s predictive analytics and technology empower clients to measure their market share, understand the underlying consumer behavior driving it, and accelerate their growth. Circana’s Liquid Data^® technology platform is powered by an expansive, high-quality data set and intelligent algorithms trained on six decades of domain expertise. With Circana, clients can take immediate action to future-proof and evolve their growth strategies amid an increasingly complex, fast-paced, and ever-changing economy. Learn more at circana.com.

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