Europe Baby Food Market Outlook, 2029

The European baby food market is a dynamic and rapidly evolving industry characterized by a diverse range of products designed to meet the nutritional needs of infants and toddlers. This market encompasses a variety of food categories, including infant formula, baby snacks, and ready-to-eat meals, with products tailored to different stages of a child's development. The demand for baby food in Europe is driven by several factors, including rising awareness among parents about the importance of early childhood nutrition, increasing disposable incomes, and a growing trend towards organic and natural food products. Key players in the market are continually innovating to offer products that are not only nutritious but also safe, convenient, and in line with the latest dietary trends. Additionally, stringent regulations and quality standards in the European Union ensure that baby food products maintain high safety and nutritional benchmarks. One of the key regulations is the EU Regulation (EU) on food intended for infants and young children, which sets out specific requirements for infant formula, follow-on formula, and other foods for particular nutritional uses. This regulation mandates that baby food must meet strict nutritional criteria, including the minimum and maximum levels of vitamins and minerals, to support the health and development of infants. The regulatory framework is primarily shaped by the European Union (EU), which imposes comprehensive guidelines on the composition, labeling, and marketing of baby food products.

According to the research report, "Europe Baby Food Market Outlook, 2029," published by Bonafide Research, the Europe Baby Food market is anticipated to add to more than USD 4 Billion by 2024–29. The baby food market in Europe is a substantial and progressively expanding sector, reflecting a strong emphasis on infant nutrition and health. This market comprises a wide array of products, including infant formula, purees, cereals, snacks, and ready-to-eat meals, all formulated to cater to the specific nutritional requirements of infants and toddlers at different stages of growth. Several factors drive the demand for baby food in Europe. A key factor is the increasing awareness among parents about the importance of early childhood nutrition and its long-term benefits on health and development. This awareness has been bolstered by extensive research and public health campaigns highlighting the critical role of proper nutrition in the first 1,000 days of life. Additionally, rising disposable incomes across the continent have empowered more families to spend on premium and specialized baby food products, further stimulating market growth. Another significant trend shaping the European baby food market is the growing consumer preference for organic and natural products. Parents are increasingly seeking baby foods that are free from artificial additives, preservatives, and pesticides, driving demand for organic and clean-label options. This shift towards healthier and more transparent food choices is prompting manufacturers to innovate and expand their product lines to include organic and non-GMO offerings. The market is also characterized by a high level of competition among key players such as Nestlé, Danone, HiPP, and Abbott Laboratories. These companies are continually investing in research and development to introduce new products that meet evolving consumer preferences and regulatory requirements. Innovations include products with enhanced nutritional profiles, convenient packaging solutions, and fortified options that cater to specific dietary needs.
The baby food market in Europe is diverse, encompassing a variety of product types designed to cater to the distinct nutritional needs of infants and toddlers. Key categories include infant formula, baby cereals, purees, snacks, and ready-to-eat meals. Infant formula, a crucial segment, provides essential nutrients for babies who are not breastfed, with specialized formulations available for different stages of an infant's development and for specific dietary requirements such as hypoallergenic needs. Baby cereals, often fortified with vitamins and minerals, serve as an important source of iron and other nutrients critical for early growth. Purees typically made from fruits, vegetables, and meats, offer convenient and wholesome meal options for babies transitioning to solid foods. Snacks, including teething biscuits and fruit bars, cater to older infants and toddlers, promoting self-feeding and fine motor skills. Ready-to-eat meals, which combine various ingredients into balanced, pre-portioned servings, provide a convenient solution for busy parents. Across all product types, there is a strong trend towards organic and natural ingredients, driven by parents’ increasing demand for clean-label and nutritious options. This diversity in product offerings ensures that the European baby food market can meet the varied and evolving dietary needs of young children.

The distribution channels of the baby food market in Europe are diverse and evolving, reflecting changes in consumer behavior and advancements in technology. Traditional brick-and-mortar retailers, including supermarkets, hypermarkets, and pharmacies, remain primary outlets for baby food products. These stores offer the advantage of immediate availability and the ability for parents to physically examine products before purchase. Specialized baby stores also play a significant role, providing a focused selection of baby food along with expert advice. However, the rise of e-commerce has significantly transformed the distribution landscape. Online retailers and dedicated baby food websites provide convenience, a wide range of products, and the ability to easily compare prices and read reviews. Subscription services, where parents receive regular deliveries of baby food products, have also gained popularity, offering personalized options and ensuring consistent supply. Additionally, direct-to-consumer sales through company websites are becoming more prevalent, allowing manufacturers to build stronger relationships with customers and gather direct feedback. This multi-channel distribution approach ensures that baby food products are accessible to parents through both traditional and modern retail formats, catering to their preferences for convenience, variety, and quality.

Recent Developments
• In 2021, 108LABS acknowledged its latest animal-free infant baby formula, Colostrupedis, which consists of fully human milk molecules by cell-cultured comes up from human mammary formulated and cell agriculture with expansively neutralizing human secretory antibodies. This launch helps the baby food manufacturer to opt for natural ingredients in baby food to accelerate infant food products to the European market.
• In 2021, Bunge Loders Croklaan (BLC), a company based in the Netherlands, declared the launch of the latest exclusive lipid ingredient for infant formula in the European market, which affirms to be the same as mother’s milk in terms of nutrition, taste, and natural balance.
• In 2020, Danone invested nearly EUR 25 million into building a new organic milk production facility in Hauts-de-France to meet the growing demand from French consumers for organic products. In addition, the company will support 30 to 40 milk producers in making the transition to organic. The company targets to offer organic infant food commodities in the region on consumer demand by maintaining premium product quality.
COVID-19 Impact
At the initial stage of COVID-19 in the European regions working women were at home due to lockdown, and consumers shifted their preference towards homemade food or mother milk which is trustworthy for toddlers. Thus, the European market for infant foods has been impacted adversely in a negative manner. Along with this the issues in supply cahin and distribution process has led to obstruction in growth. On the other hand due to the food scare phenomenon amongst the consumer the baby food market in the region observed some boost during the pandemic with panic bulk buying behaviour.
Major Companies Included: The Hain Celestial Group, The Kraft Heinz Company, Perrigo Company plc, Reckitt Benckiser Group plc, Hero Group, HiPP GmbH & Co. Vertrieb KG, Arla Food, Danone, Ella's Kitchen, Friesland Campina, Ausnutria, Beingmate

Considered in the report
• Geography: Europe
• Base year: 2023
• Historical year: 2018
• Forecasted year: 2029

Countries covered:
• UK
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Spain
• Russia

Aspects covered in the report
• Market Size by Value for the period (2018-2029F)
• Market Share by Product Type (Milk Formula, Dried Baby Food, Cereals, Others)
• Market Share by Channel Sales (Hyper/Supermarket, Convenience store, Pharmacy/ Drugstores, Online)
• Market Share by Country
• Market Share by Company

The approach of the report:
We keep an eye on evolving markets and try to evaluate the potential of the products and services. If we find the market interesting, we start working on it and create the desired table of content, considering all aspects of the business. We start by creating separate questionnaires for C-level executives, national/regional sales personnel, company owners, dealers, distributors, and end-users. Once the questionnaires have been finalized, we start collecting the primary data (mostly through phone calls) and try to understand the market dynamics regionally or tier-wise. This process gives us in-depth details of the market, including all present companies, the top-performing products with reasons why they dominate; we get the details of new players and their innovative approaches; market trends; dynamics; and all the small details of the market. After the collection of primary inputs, we then cross-check the same with secondary sources that include associations, trade journals, annual reports, paid databases, newspapers, magazines, press releases, government sources, etc. From this, we get a rough estimate of the market and start checking existing product price variants, trade, production, raw material scenarios, policies and regulatory landscape, etc. Then, to finalize the market, we start collecting financials of each player present in the market, including limited, private limited, and LLPs. Moreover, we perform cross-industry and cross-region analysis of the product, and based on collected primary inputs and using statistical modelling, we start forecasting the market. We follow our forecasting algorithm, which is unique for each product but gives more weight age to primary inputs. At the same time, the content team starts preparing company profiles, market dynamics, market trends, five forces, PEST analysis, etc. Once the data is verified by the data expert, the team (primary team, content team, and data team) together crosscheck the segmentations; validate the market, and then the designing team starts plotting the graphs. Once the file is ready, the content team completes the report and makes sure that all the discussed points have been covered and provides their valuable inputs in the form of strategic recommendations for new as well as existing players. The QC team then checks the overall report that includes spell check, data verification, and makes the same dispatch ready and error-free.



Intended Audience
This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to the Consumer goods and Service industry, government bodies, and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.