Just 17% of Danish consumers believe that they eat the recommended 600 grams of fruit and vegetables per day, with four in five believing that they eat too few vegetables, according to a new report by Denmark‘s Ministry of Agriculture and Food, using data from Voxmeter.
As the report found, more than half (51%) of Danes said that they would like to eat more vegetables, but the proportion eating vegetables every day has fallen from 55% in 2024 to 51% in 2026.
This gap between intention and behaviour is linked to factors including established habits, a lack of inspiration, price and perceptions that vegetables can be difficult or time-consuming to prepare.
‘An everyday challenge’
“We don’t have a motivation problem. We have an everyday challenge,” commented Line Munk Damsgaard, head of department for nutrition and consumer analysis at the Ministry of Agriculture & Food.
“Danes want to eat more vegetables, but if they are perceived as time-consuming, cumbersome, or difficult to include in their meals, they will be discouraged. Therefore, we should not just tell people that they should eat more vegetables. We should make it easier to choose the vegetables to eat.”
Some 22% of respondents said that vegetables need to be easy to prepare, while taste, freshness, quality and health were identified as the most important considerations when buying vegetables. Price and value for money were also cited as important, while almost one third of Danes prioritised local production.
Consumption patterns
Consumption also varied between demographic groups, Voxmeter‘s findings reveal. Women were more likely than men to eat vegetables daily, at 56% compared with 45%. Among 18- to 34-year-olds, 54% said they eat vegetables every day.
The analysis found that vegetables are primarily consumed at dinner, with considerably less consumption during other meals. The report identified lunch and snacks as areas where there is potential to increase vegetable consumption.
“It is a problem that fewer Danes eat vegetables every day, even though most would like to,” Damsgaard added. “It shows that good intentions are not enough. If we want to turn the tide, vegetables must be the easy and obvious choice. They must taste good, be inspiring, have a price that makes sense, and be easy to fit into a busy everyday life.
“If this is to succeed, the entire food chain has a responsibility – from producers and retailers to canteens, public kitchens and restaurants.” Read more here.
