New supermarket data shows that younger shoppers are now embracing fibre, fuelled by rising awareness of gut health, social media food trends, and the influence of nutrition experts.
Searches for ‘high fibre’ products on Ocado.com have risen 87% year-on-year, while ‘fibre’ has risen by 78% year-on-year. Traditional staples and cupboard classics are also seeing strong growth: prunes, once a favourite among older generations, are up 60%, fruit & fibre cereal has risen 52%, and Weetabix is up 87%.
Tinned fruit (+37%) is also popular, while other wholefoods, including oats (+18%), chickpeas (+18%), chia seeds (+15%), and spelt (+59%), are increasingly being incorporated into meals.
Research by Ocado and Savanta found that just over half of UK adults (52%) are actively trying to add more fibre to their diets, rising to 62% among Gen Z consumers and falling to 36% of over-65s. While almost three-quarters (71%) of Gen Z believe fibre is just as important for younger people as it is for older people, two-thirds (66%) admit they don’t get enough in their current diet, compared to just one-fifth (20%) of over-65s.
Most UK adults recognise fibre’s health benefits: 82% link it to maintaining good gut health, 83% to aiding digestion and regularity, and 61% to weight management. Older consumers particularly value fibre for its role in long-term health, with 85% of over-65s saying it is important for lifelong wellbeing, compared to 67% of Gen Z.
Nutrition experts such as Professor Tim Spector have helped raise awareness of fibre’s importance, particularly through their focus on gut health and simple, everyday dietary changes. Yet despite growing awareness, only 4% of adults currently meet the NHS recommended daily fibre intake of 30g.
“Fibre has sometimes been overlooked, but the data shows that awareness is growing and more people are looking to increase their intake,” said Charlie Parker, senior nutritionist at Ocado Retail.
“What’s encouraging is that many are turning to simple, familiar foods like cereals, beans and fruit to do so – products that are easy to include in everyday diets. With younger generations driving much of the interest, it’s great to see a broad recognition of the role fibre plays in overall health.”
