Study: Romanians Remain the Biggest Bread Consumers in Europe

According to the latest study, bread remains Romanians’ most consumed bakery product.

Barely a third of Romanians who live in urban regions regularly eat bread, compared to more than half of those who live in rural areas. The most popular bakery goods consumed daily are loaves (42%), sliced or packaged bread (41%), and white bread (39%). These are also the products for which, compared to the prior year, 84% of Romanians felt the price increase the most strongly.

Bread-more often consumed in rural areas

According to Reveal Marketing Research, Romanian in the urban regions are more motivated to find healthier food options with higher nutritional content to add to their regular diet as they become more concerned with living a healthy lifestyle.

17% of Romanians reported eating black, whole-wheat, or seeded bread daily, with urban dwellers consuming it to a greater level (19%) than those in rural areas (14% ).

Additionally, the study reflects that people in rural areas consume more bread daily than people in urban areas. Both in terms of loaf consumption (rural: 51% vs. urban: 35%) and white bread consumption, there are considerable discrepancies ( rural: 49% vs urban 32%).

Cozonac – Romanian’s favourite homemade baked product

The most popular bakery item among Romanians is called cozonac. Cozonac is one of the most popular bakery items on Romanian tables, consumed by 95% of the population at least once annually.

Similar to last year, 50% of Romanians say they will make Easter cake at home, with those in rural areas more likely to do so (56% ).

One of the top favourites for homemade baked products is cozonac (39%), followed by bread (16%).

The preparation of home-baked goods has decreased from the previous year, a change that can be attributed to the easing of regulations and the decline in the “home cooking” trend that the pandemic brought about.

Romanians prefer to prepare bread products at home to a substantially lesser extent compared to the Reveal Marketing Research study done last year, with the percentage of those who say they prefer to buy them rising by 9%, from 48% (2021) to 57% (2022).

Rural residents, who frequently have lower income and/or a more substantial commitment to tradition, produce more baked products (38%) than urban residents (23%).

Romania is a country with a rich history in wheat farming and a long tradition in the consumption of bread, so this conclusion is inevitable. Romanians will continue to be very fond of bread consumption, being an indispensable product in traditional Romanian meals.