The European Commission has published a new Flash Eurobarometer on the image of EU food and drink products in 11 international markets, showing that EU products enjoy a strong and increasingly positive reputation abroad, the European Commission reports.

EU food and beverages are already well embedded in global consumption habits, notably in the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, where 58% and 50% of urban consumers respectively buy EU products weekly. Elsewhere the picture is thinner: in Mexico and Japan, 27% and 28% of consumers buy EU products each week, pointing to clear scope for growth.

Quality drives purchases

Quality is by far the main factor driving purchases across all surveyed markets — China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand, the UAE, the UK and the US. The findings are especially encouraging for the EU agri-food sector, playing directly to the Union’s core strength in high-quality production and reinforcing its international competitive advantage. Awareness of EU quality labels — European organic products, Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) and the “Enjoy, it’s from Europe!” campaign — has also risen significantly, though the survey shows further action is needed to improve comprehension.

Room to grow: India, Indonesia and the UAE

Among current non-consumers in the surveyed countries, 60% say they would be interested in trying EU products, including 13% who would definitely start buying them. Interest is highest in India (26%), Indonesia (25%) and the UAE (22%), suggesting promising opportunities for EU agri-food promotion and underlining the value of the Commission’s agri-food business missions in high-potential markets.

Recent business missions deliver

The EU agri-food business mission to Japan, led by Commissioner Christopher Hansen in June 2025, has already produced results: only a year on, more than one in five surveyed delegates said they had concluded business deals linked to their participation. After the mission to Thailand in May this year, nearly 90% of post-mission respondents reported new business contacts and expect their business to grow, while 7% have already closed deals.

Next stops: Mexico and India

Through 2026 and 2027, the Commission continues supporting EU producers abroad. Hansen will visit Mexico in November 2026 and India in early autumn 2027, accompanied by business delegations from the EU agri-food sector. The Mexico mission aims to expand the presence of European agri-food and beverages there, while the India mission — with a programme in Mumbai and Delhi — will build on the momentum of the recently concluded EU-India Free Trade Agreement, expected to be signed by the end of this year, alongside an EU pavilion at the Anuga Select India Fair in Mumbai.

Background

The Commission continues to promote EU agri-food globally through its “Enjoy, it’s from Europe!” initiatives, co-financing and directly organising promotion activities that showcase the quality and diversity of EU products and strengthen recognition of EU quality schemes and labels.

Source: European Commission