Nomad Foods’ inaugural Frozen in Focus report highlights a transformational shift in how frozen food is perceived and consumed across Europe. Drawing insights from a survey of over 7,500 adults across the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Sweden, the report offers a comprehensive look at consumer habits, nutritional benefits, innovation, sustainability, and the future of the frozen food category.
Key Highlights:
1. The Goodness of Frozen
- Frozen food, particularly vegetables like peas, retains more nutrients than fresh equivalents when processed and stored correctly (e.g. frozen peas retain 30% more vitamin C than fresh after 7 days).
- While 63% of Europeans believe frozen is as nutritious as fresh, only 21% realise it can be more nutritious. Perception varies widely by age and country.
2. Consumer Habits
- 59% of Europeans say they can’t live without their freezer. Freezers support time-saving, reduced food waste, and fewer grocery trips.
- 93% of consumers feel no guilt using frozen foods, though stigma persists in serving it to guests, particularly in Germany.
3. Innovation & Inspiration
- Air fryers are revolutionising how frozen meals are prepared; 75% of air fryer owners use them monthly.
- New product development—like Birds Eye’s Steamfresh range—has introduced more fibre-rich, convenient, and flavourful options.
- Frozen food saves up to an hour in meal prep weekly, enabling more time for family, relaxation, or multitasking.
4. Sustainability
- Europe wastes 59 million tonnes of food annually. Frozen food helps tackle this by extending shelf life and reducing spoilage.
- 47% of consumers say frozen food helps reduce waste, but freezer capacity remains a barrier for broader adoption.
- Nomad’s “Move to -15°C” initiative aims to further reduce energy use across the frozen food chain.
5. Future of Frozen
- Emerging trends include:
- Culinary diversity: Products inspired by world cuisines.
- Snackification: Growth of frozen snacks for busy lifestyles.
- TikTok influence: Social media drives frozen food inspiration.
- Waste-conscious consumers: Preference for sustainable, value-driven frozen products.
- Fakeaways: Home versions of restaurant-style meals.
Our perspective on the report
The Frozen in Focus report is more than just a data snapshot—it’s a manifesto for the modernisation of a category long underestimated. The report provides a well-researched and timely validation of what many in the nutrition communications space have long advocated: frozen food is not a compromise, but a solution.
From a nutrition science communication perspective, this report is a strong step toward challenging outdated myths and re-educating consumers about the science-backed benefits of frozen options. It’s especially important that the industry continues to close the perception gap among younger demographics, who may not be aware of modern advancements in flash freezing, nutrient retention, or sustainability practices.
From our prospective we see an opportunity to:
- Elevate frozen food in public health messaging by highlighting its role in reducing food waste and improving access to affordable nutrition.
- Leverage behavioural insights from tools like TikTok and air fryer trends to speak the language of younger consumers.
- Collaborate with brands and institutions to reinforce consistent, evidence-based labelling and storytelling around frozen products.
On the innovation side, Nomad Foods is laying a strong foundation for the future of frozen—from nutrient-retaining steam-based cooking methods, to culturally diverse product ranges, and sustainability-driven initiatives like “Move to -15°C.” These aren’t marginal improvements—they’re system-level innovations that align with evolving consumer values: health, sustainability, time-efficiency, and cost-consciousness.
What’s especially exciting is the convergence of nutrition, technology, and convenience. Products designed for air fryers, frozen meals with elevated fibre content, and snackable formats for fragmented mealtimes show how brands are responding to—and anticipating—lifestyle changes.
This is where frozen food stops being just a category and becomes a platform for solving real-world problems: food waste, climate impact, and dietary gaps. Ultimately, frozen food is a modern answer to multiple challenges—climate impact, health inequities, and time scarcity. The future of food will be flexible, flavourful, and frozen—and as Nutricomms, we’re here to help make that case, clearly and credibly.
As nutrition communicators, we believe this moment demands stronger cross-sector collaboration: between scientists, innovators, marketers, and policymakers—to normalise frozen food as a modern, accessible, and sustainable choice. The freezer isn’t just cold storage—it’s a hotbed of potential.
More information and to download the report:
https://www.nomadfoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/frozen-in-focus-nomad-foods.pdf
