More people plan to eat more plant-based products and new research offers tips on how best to pull them in. David Burrows reports.
More than half of UK and German adults intend to change their diets by eating more plant-based foods or by eating less meat and dairy. That is the rose-tinted top-line from new research conducted in the UK and Germany – the two largest markets for plant-based foods in Europe – among 4,827 people.
Dig into the (extremely valuable) report – produced by GFI Europe, Plant Futures Collective and HarrisX – and it is painfully clear how challenging actually shifting diets and consumption patterns will be.
In the seven days prior to being polled, 97% of UK adults said they’d eaten at least one animal-based category. Dairy (81%), milk (80%), white meat (73%) and eggs (73%) were the clear favourites, followed by red meat (58%), dairy-based desserts (51%) and seafood (47%). Indeed, 31% claimed to have reduced their consumption of red meat, yet they’re increasing the amount of white meat and fish they’re eating (neither of which comes without environmental baggage).
When it comes to plant-based products, 44% had eaten products in the past week (with particular momentum behind plant-based eggs, milks and meals). This was higher when looking at the past month (56%) or past 12 months (65%), which suggests people are trying these out but for various reasons they’re not part of their weekly shop. Almost twice as many people in both countries said they enjoyed the taste of animal-based meat and dairy compared to those who said the same about plant-based foods, and people were far more likely to choose conventional meat and dairy over plant-based foods “out of habit”.
This category’s struggles are no secret: since 2021, sales of some plant-based products have fallen, with consumers citing taste and price as their top concerns. As the report’s authors note: “Watch out! We know claimed intention doesn’t always lead to actual behaviour changes. We know from other data sources that there has been a stagnation of UK plant-based food sales in recent years. While consumer intention might be there, it doesn’t guarantee behaviours always follow intentions.”
The products have also been under scrutiny for their processed nature (though as ever there is nuance that lies beneath this, as recent research shows). The environmental benefits of plant-based are far less of a focus for debate but the new GFI research suggests chucking carbon footprints at consumers might not be an effective nudge. But health potentially is: 48% cited health reasons, including lifestyle changes and weight management, for reducing consumption of meat and dairy in the past year. Environmental or ethical concerns only nudged 10%.
“Plant-based foods can help tackle some of our most pressing health concerns, and this report reveals a potential market for these products extending far beyond vegans or vegetarians,” said Helen Breewood, senior market and consumer insights manager at GFI Europe. “But to enable people to act on their intentions and adopt healthier, more sustainable diets, the industry must understand what motivates different types of consumers.”
Across the UK population, for example, 49% are what the authors describe as the ‘no change for now’ cohort. The other 51% is split into three groups: those that want to increase their plant-based consumption but not at the expense of meat (13%); those that want more plants and less meat (20%); and the meat and dairy reducers who want to cut back on animal products but don’t intend to substitute these with plant-based (13%). “This deeper, more nuanced understanding of what’s holding people back is essential if we want to support healthier and more sustainable dietary choices at scale,” explained Indy Kaur, founder of Plant Futures.
The report’s authors noted that “to reach more people, the sector needs to overcome a lack of familiarity with plant-based foods (for example by providing easily prepared product formats and simple recipe suggestions), continue improving taste, and clearly communicate the health and nutritional benefits of plant-based foods”, they added.
The report recommends that retailers and food producers drive lasting change by promoting plant-based foods as part of daily life, showing products eaten in relatable, everyday settings. The UK findings also suggest plant-based brands can consider framing plant-based foods as complementary to animal-based foods instead of using narratives about eliminating animal meat and dairy consumption.
Breewood said: “Factors such as taste, familiarity and convenience are blocking large groups of people from choosing plant-based foods, so companies need to develop tastier products, communicate nutritional benefits more clearly, and help consumers overcome their lack of familiarity with simple recipe suggestions.”
