Although openness towards new products is increasing in Germany, both economic uncertainty and an ageing population which is less willing to experiment, restrict the prospects for new launches. Those who go out to work increasingly find that convenience eating compensates for a lack of free time to cook from scratch; demand for microwaveable products is therefore high and NPD is catering to this need.

In addition, as awareness of health issues rises, many healthier variants of existing lines, especially free-from, organic and low-fat lines, are starting to emerge. Retailers top the list of innovators, extending and upgrading their own-label ranges with a large number of new and healthier products.

This report examines consumer attitudes towards new product development, buying new food products, and brand loyalty and looks at the levels of NPD in a number of food markets, as listed below, as well as examining product positioning claims. The specific markets covered in this report are ready meals, cheese, meat products, fish products, vegetables and sweet biscuits.