Are Protein Shakes Going Out of Fashion? What the 2026 Numbers Say About Lighter Drinks

The shaker's been in the bottom of the gym bag since Tuesday. You know what's in there before you unscrew the lid, because the smell gets there first. Lukewarm, faintly sweet, a bit like a wet biscuit. It does the job, and you'll probably use it again, but a question is being asked more and more: are protein shakes going out of fashion?

The short answer from the 2026 numbers is no, not yet. The longer answer is more interesting, because the demand for protein hasn't gone anywhere, while the appetite for the thick, chalky way of getting it looks like it's wearing thin.

Are protein shakes going out of fashion? Not quite, but the ground is moving

Start with what hasn't changed. In research commissioned by The Grocer, 77% of people said they were still trying to consume more protein. The same Toluna-run poll found 50% would reach for a protein shake when in a hurry after exercise, level with protein bars. Shakes are still on the menu.

What's shifting is the format around them. A consultancy that tracks protein brands told NutraIngredients that its April 2025 analysis of more than 600 brands across Europe showed a 50% net increase in clear whey products in 12 months, while traditional whey shake formats had stayed relatively flat. That's a count of products, not sales, and it comes from one consultancy, so read it as a direction of travel rather than a verdict. A year later the same source was still calling clear proteins the fastest growing protein powder or RTD products on the market, though the brand launching that product was careful to say it was not meant to replace shakes, but to create new occasions such as protein after a run or on the commute home.

So "going out of fashion" is too strong. "Sharing the shelf with something lighter" is closer.

What people say they dislike

Taste comes first

The Grocer's research found that 62% of shoppers rank taste in their top three attributes, the same share who say protein content. And 65% said they would buy more if there were a wider range of products and flavours. People aren't asking for less protein. They're asking for something they'd look forward to.

The JUCED/Opinium survey, commissioned by JUCED in May 2026 with 2,000 UK adults, gets more specific. Among the 595 who use protein shakes, 46% find them artificial, claggy or chalky and 44% have got bored of the taste. And 41% say they have tried to get the smell out of their shaker and failed, which feels painfully accurate.

The chore factor

The same survey found 40% of shake users find them a chore or difficult to digest, and 50% see them as a necessity rather than something they enjoy. Add 67% who said they would switch to a lighter, more refreshing format, against only 6% who disagreed, and you get a habit people keep up for the protein, not for the drink. Stated intent isn't the same as behaviour, and this is a survey commissioned by a brand with a lighter option, so weigh it accordingly. But the shape of the complaint matches what the trade data hints at.

Where the analysts think it's heading

Mintel's global figures say protein in non-alcoholic drinks is still small. In its 2026 "The Next Billion-Dollar Soda?" analysis, 0.9% of global non-alcoholic drink launches in the year to July 2026 carried an added or high protein claim. That's a record high, and the count excludes shakes and powders. Small, then, but growing from a low base.

The more telling number is about flavour. In the same Mintel work, 45% of UK non-alcoholic drink users were concerned that added health ingredients like protein would hurt the taste. That's the real hurdle for anything hoping to replace a shake: not the protein, but whether it tastes like a drink you'd pick on its own merits.

Mintel's UK Soft Drinks Review 2026 names where it expects the energy to go. Its first trend territory for the year is "Lean & Loaded", protein-rich drinks with clean energy benefits. In plain terms, protein that behaves like a soft drink.

What lighter looks like on a label

If you've read our earlier takes, you'll know we've been circling this for a while. We looked at why functional soft drinks are replacing protein shakes back in January, argued that protein shakes are overrated, and mapped the wider field in functional drinks in 2026 and our guide to fizzy drink alternatives. This is the check-in: what the newer data says, rather than a fresh opinion.

"Lighter" can mean a few different things on a shelf. Clear whey drinks are water-based. Others are juice-based. Our guide to clear protein drinks walks through the formats, and how to read a protein drink label covers the sugar and sweetener lines worth checking before you buy.

Ours is the fruit-juice route. JUCED is a fruit-based collagen protein drink, still rather than fizzy, with 15g of protein per 250ml can, no added sugar and nothing artificial. The sweetness comes from sugars derived naturally from fruit juice, and the NHS is clear that the sugars in unsweetened fruit juices and smoothies occur naturally but still count as free sugars. So it isn't a "no sugar" drink, and we'd rather say so up front. Collagen is also an incomplete protein, lacking tryptophan, so it's a different trade-off from whey, not a like-for-like swap.

Where that leaves the shaker

Protein shakes going out of fashion? Not yet. Half of those polled would still reach for one when time's short, and the appetite for protein is intact. What looks to be wearing off is the assumption that protein has to arrive thick, sweet-ish and slightly sad. The trade press points to lighter formats growing faster, Mintel points to flavour as the deciding factor, and a good share of shake users say they'd happily try something else.

If you're curious whether a lighter drink suits your routine, reading the back of the can costs nothing. You can see the JUCED label for yourself and judge it against whatever's rattling around in your gym bag. And if you have a medical condition or specific dietary requirement, a GP or registered dietitian is the right person to ask what suits you.