The rise of “justified price” in food and drink

How consumers define value in food and drink is changing. While price still plays an important role, it’s not the only factor driving decisions. Consumers are becoming more deliberate, weighing up when something is worth the extra spend and when it isn’t.

Attest data highlights a clear pattern [view the nationally-representative survey of 1,000 working-age UK consumers). People are willing to pay more, but only when the value feels justified. That value might come from better ingredients, stronger health credentials or even the experience of the product itself. This is what we’re calling “justified price”, where spend is conditional on whether something feels genuinely worth it.

So what actually drives that sense of value today?

Value driver 1: Ingredients and nutrition

Product quality is the most important driver of value in food and drink. Consumers are paying closer attention to what’s in their food, and that awareness is directly influencing how they spend: 72% say they would pay more for non–ultra-processed products, while 47% have actively reduced their purchases of ultra-processed foods. This is a shift away from convenience-led choices towards options that feel healthier, simpler or less processed.

This behaviour is being shaped by the wider health conversation. Ultra-processed foods have been under sustained scrutiny, with growing media coverage and scientific research linking them to chronic illness and early mortality. As this information becomes more visible, it is starting to influence everyday decision-making, not just attitudes.

Motivations, however, differ across generations. Boomers are more likely to prioritise natural ingredients and familiarity, while Gen Z place greater emphasis on nutritional value, calorie content and functional benefits. Both groups are focused on health, but they approach it from slightly different angles, which has implications for how products are positioned.

This shift is also reflected in the market. Retailers such as M&S, Morrisons and Asda have introduced ranges focused on higher nutrient density and lower calorie products. This partly aligns with the rise of weight-loss medications, which Gen Z are more likely to use, and signals a broader move towards more health-led innovation.

Health is increasingly seen as a core part of value, and something consumers are willing to pay for when it is clear and credible.

Value driver 2: Sustainability, with limits

Sustainability expectations are rising, but willingness to pay for it remains constrained. Regulatory changes, including recyclability labelling requirements and plastic taxes, are pushing brands to rethink packaging, while sustainability messaging is becoming more prominent across the category.

However, this increased visibility does not automatically translate into higher spending. Only 30% of consumers say they would pay a premium for sustainable packaging, and even among Gen Z this rises to just 35%. There is a stark gap between what consumers expect from brands and what they are prepared to fund themselves.

That said, consumers are open to compromise. 59% say they would accept less premium-looking packaging if it meant the materials were recyclable. This suggests that while price sensitivity remains, elements like aesthetics and perceived luxury are more flexible when sustainability is part of the equation.

For brands, this creates a more nuanced challenge. Sustainability still matters, but passing costs directly onto consumers is not always effective. Instead, many consumers are willing to make trade-offs that allow them to support more sustainable choices without paying more.

Value driver 3: Culture, virality and micro-luxury

For many consumers, particularly younger audiences, value isn’t purely functional, it is also shaped by culture and social influence. Social media plays a significant role here, with viral products quickly moving from online trends to real-world demand.

The “Dubai chocolate” trend is a prime example, starting on TikTok and rapidly translating into widespread interest and sales, even contributing to a global pistachio shortage. These kinds of moments create opportunities for brands to position products as small, accessible luxuries, where value is tied to experience as much as the product itself.

58% of Gen Z say they have bought a viral food product in the past three months, compared to just 7% of Boomers. This highlights a significant generational divide in how value is shaped and what influences purchasing behaviour.

The same pattern appears when it comes to price: 61% of Gen Z say they would pay more for a product that is trending on social media, while 91% of Boomers say they would not. For younger consumers, cultural relevance and participation in a moment can justify a higher price point.

The motivations behind this behaviour also differ. For Gen Z, the appeal is rooted in novelty and shared experience. For the smaller number of older consumers who do engage, it is more likely to be framed as a personal treat rather than something driven by hype.

A more complex definition of value

Taken together, these findings point to a broader shift in how value is defined. Consumers have not stopped caring about price, but it now sits alongside a wider set of considerations. Value is more conditional, shaped by context, need and perceived benefit rather than a single factor.

People are making conscious trade-offs in different ways. They are paying more when the benefit feels clear and tangible, particularly when it comes to health and quality. They are supporting sustainability through compromise rather than higher cost. And in some cases, they are placing real value on experience, culture and novelty.

This creates a more complex landscape, where the same consumer may make very different decisions depending on the situation.

What this means for brands

For brands, value in food and drink is no longer a single lever that can be pulled through pricing alone. It shifts depending on the audience, the occasion and the role the product plays in someone’s life, making it harder to rely on a one-size-fits-all approach.

The challenge is understanding how these trade-offs play out in practice. That means identifying where consumers are willing to pay more, where they expect compromise, and where additional value can be delivered without increasing cost.

The brands that win won’t be the ones that simply lower prices. They will be the ones that understand what their customers are willing to pay for, and build their offer around those expectations.