Consumer Preferences and Nutritional Expectations Toward Reformulated Bakery and Fruit-Based Products: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Survey in Romania

The growing interest in healthy eating has increased consumers’ expectations for food products that combine nutritional value, natural ingredients and convenience. Understanding these nutritional expectations may provide valuable insights to guide food reformulation strategies and support the development of products that better align with consumers’ expressed preferences. Therefore, this study investigated the nutritional preferences, motivations for trying new foods and expectations regarding reformulated food products among respondents recruited in Romania. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in August 2024, using a structured questionnaire distributed through Google Forms. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling, and 200 complete responses were included in the analysis. The results showed that 79.5% of respondents were interested or very interested in maintaining a balanced diet. Health benefits were selected by 83.5% as a motivation for trying a new product. In separate questions, reduced sugar content (77%), natural sources of vitamins and minerals (64%) and additive-free formulations (60%) were regularly selected. Low-carbohydrate pasta and antioxidant-rich bars were the most frequently selected bakery and cereal-based concepts. Fiber-enriched fruit products and additive-free fruit preserves received the most selections among fruit-based concepts suggesting interest in clean-label products. Descriptive and exploratory association analyses were performed; correlations among motivations were weak, and age-related associations did not remain significant after Holm correction. Within this convenience sample, respondents tended to prefer healthier, more natural, and nutritionally balanced foods. These findings may help guide future food reformulation efforts, although they should not be generalized to the Romanian population because of the sampling method.