Survey: Stress shapes the eating behavior of many Austrians

Generation Z particularly affected

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In addition to the stress factor, the survey also examined general attitudes toward nutrition. For around 71 percent of respondents, a conscious, reflective approach to food is highly important. About one in five also said they pay deliberate attention to what they eat. However, taste remains by far the most important criterion: 96 percent of respondents name it first, and about nine in ten also mention value for money.

Taste remains decisive

Despite growing awareness of nutrition, external pressures often seem to override actual behavior. The high level of agreement – 71 percent – with the statement that stress affects eating behavior suggests that many people in Austria organize their everyday lives between conscious intentions and stress-related deviations. This is especially true for younger generations.

For the food industry, such findings are relevant because they provide insight into consumption patterns during stressful phases of life. When stress alters the selection or rhythm of meals, it can increase demand for quick, portable, or emotionally compensating products – a market that providers such as the Krüger Group also serve with their snacks and convenience products.

Significance for the food industry

The study authors Thomas Gerdenitsch and the Krüger Austria team interpret the results as an indication that nutrition must increasingly be viewed in the context of psychological stress. An isolated consideration of calories, ingredients, or taste therefore falls short when external stressors dominate consumers' everyday lives.

The data base comprises 1,500 respondents and was collected in spring 2026. The survey thus provides a current cross-section that takes both age groups and gender into account. A longitudinal study observing changes over several years is not yet available.

For consumers, the survey primarily means that stress-related eating patterns are not a personal failure but a societal phenomenon. Those who eat differently than planned under tension are part of the majority – especially in younger age groups.

What the results mean for everyday life

Overall, the results paint a picture of a population that must reconcile nutritional awareness with the reality of stress. Taste and price remain dominant decision-making criteria, while psychological strain is increasingly recognized as an influencing factor. The Krüger Group sees the data as a starting point for further adapting its product range to stress-driven consumption patterns.

The next evaluation round of the Marketagent survey is planned for next year, according to Krüger Austria. It will examine in particular whether the high stress factor among Generation Z stabilizes or changes as respondents get older.

For policymakers, the study indirectly raises questions: when two-thirds of the population change their eating behavior under stress, issues such as workplace health promotion, break regulations, and nutrition education gain importance. However, no direct political response to the survey has been documented so far.