Central and Eastern Europe’s wellness revolution
20 July 2026 | Dan Butler
From protein and gut health to no/low alcohol, CEE retailers are making wellness easier to shop and more relevant to daily life
Health & wellness is becoming a defining growth trend across CEE grocery retail, as shoppers increasingly seek products that support healthier, more balanced lifestyles.
Growing health awareness, ageing populations, increased participation in fitness activities and greater access to wellness content through social media are encouraging shoppers to take a more proactive approach to their health. As a result, demand is moving beyond traditional diet products towards everyday foods and beverages that deliver clear functional benefits.
In response, retailers across the region are expanding assortments, introducing dedicated health-focused ranges, and investing in in-store and digital initiatives that make healthier choices more accessible.
This article explores examples of how leading CEE retailers and brands are capitalising on the growing health and wellness opportunity and adapting their offers to meet evolving shopper needs.
Rohlik demonstrates rising demand for functional nutrition
In 2025, the online retailer reported that demand for protein products on Rohlik.cz increased by 45% year-on-year, for fermented beverages by 38%, and for foods with a higher fiber content by more than a third.
Rohlik is adjusting assortment and merchandising around preventative health, energy and wellbeing rather than traditional diet products. It also has ‘good food’ inspiration pages on its website, allowing health-conscious shoppers to quickly select their desired products.
Capturing shoppers on a wellness journey
Retailers are increasingly creating dedicated in-store destinations for shoppers pursuing fitness, health and wellbeing goals, moving towards more specialised mission-based retail concepts.
Carrefour Poland’srecent launch of Active Food is one of the clearest examples of this trend, bringing around 700 sports nutrition, functional food and dietary supplement products together in a single, signposted location within stores.
Helping shoppers identify healthier choices
As well as curated zones, retailers are helping shoppers throughout their in-store journey to identify healthier products.
SPAR Sloveniais helping shoppers make healthier choices through a new ‘Experts Recommend’ label, developed in partnership with nutrition specialists from the ‘Več vem, bolje jem’ programme. The initiative highlights more than 150 products that have been independently assessed against nutritional criteria, which gives shoppers greater confidence when making purchase decisions and helps differentiate products with stronger health credentials.
Protein goes mainstream
Netto (Salling Group) is expanding its assortment in Poland to better meet the needs of increasingly health-conscious shoppers, strengthening its offer of products that support balanced lifestyles and improved nutrition. The Protein Lab brand has been developed to offer shoppers a wide selection of high-protein products that can be easily incorporated into shoppers’ daily diet.
Beyond protein, retailers are also reporting rising interest in products linked to gut health, immunity and everyday wellness.
Healthy convenience gains momentum
Lidlis expanding its partnership with Body Chief by introducing a wider range of diet-focused ready meals, reflecting growing consumer demand for convenient, nutritious food solutions. The fresh meals are designed around balanced nutrition, quality ingredients and transparent product credentials, making healthy eating easier to incorporate into everyday routines.
The partnership reflects the growing convergence of convenience and wellness, as shoppers increasingly seek solutions that save time without compromising nutritional quality.
Expanding No/Low Zones
There is an increasing presence of no/low-alcohol ranges across the region, with many retailers looking to create designated zones to capitalise on this accelerating health trend. Shoppers are increasingly reducing or eliminating alcohol to improve their wellbeing, sleep and concentration.
Traditional alcohol brands are increasingly extending their portfolios with alcohol-free alternatives, helping retailers broaden choice and normalise no/low consumption occasions.
From products to wellness experiences
The rise in wellness across CEE represents a significant long-term growth opportunity for both retailers and suppliers. As health-conscious behaviours become increasingly mainstream, shoppers are looking for products that fit naturally into their daily routines rather than specialist dietary solutions.
This creates opportunities for suppliers to innovate around protein, functional nutrition, gut health, low and no alcohol, clean-label ingredients and convenient healthy meal solutions. For retailers, the challenge is increasingly about making wellness easier to shop through clearer navigation, dedicated destinations, stronger health credentials and personalised inspiration.
More mature Western European markets provide a useful blueprint for future development. Leading retailers are expanding health-led private label ranges, creating wellness ecosystems that combine products, digital content and nutritional guidance, and making healthier choices more visible throughout the shopping journey.
As wellness becomes embedded in everyday shopping behaviour, the greatest growth opportunities will likely come from retailers that integrate products, advice, navigation and inspiration into a seamless health-focused ecosystem.
For further inspiration visit our Health Hub, featuring all our health focused content and insights.
EuropeCarrefourHealthPolandSPAR InternationalRomania Salling GroupSlovenia
