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More than two in five consumers in Europe’s two largest plant-based markets want to eat less meat or are already doing so, a new poll has found.
Half of adults in the UK and Germany want to change their diets by either reducing meat or eating more plant-based food, with interest in whole foods higher than vegan alternatives to meat, according to a survey of over 4,800 consumers.
The research, conducted by the Good Food Institute (GFI) Europe, Plant Futures Collective, and HarrisX, reveals that while flexitarianism remains popular in the region’s two largest markets for plant-based food, consumers need more support to overcome dietary change barriers.
“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,” says Helen Breewood, senior market and consumer insights manager at GFI Europe.
Less than 8% of respondents in both countries described themselves as vegans or vegetarians, while 31% in the UK and 39% in Germany identified as flexitarians who ate small amounts of meat or reduced their meat consumption.
In each country, a third of consumers want to cut back on meat and dairy, and 38% want to increase their plant-based consumption.
Which plant-based foods are most popular?
Courtesy: GFI Europe
The research revealed that around two-thirds of consumers in both countries had consumed plant-based products from one of eight categories – spanning alternatives to animal foods to vegetable-based dishes and traditional plant proteins – in the previous year.
The high penetration belongs to meals made from beans and legumes, with 46% of Brits and Germans consuming these in the last 12 months. This was followed by plant-based milk (around 40%) and meat (34-37%).
Germans are more likely to have eaten tofu, tempeh or seitan in this period (24%) compared to Brits (18%), and in both nations, vegan egg alternatives were the least consumed plant-based products (10% in the UK and 14% in Germany). This is partly due to a lack of options, though Eat Just’s European arrival, beginning with these two countries, would hope to change that.
Courtesy: GFI Europe
There’s an interesting trend around whole-food intake in the UK. Meals made from vegetables, beans and legumes have seen the highest net increase (26%) among the entire category in the last 12 months, but tofu, seitan and tempeh have witnessed the smallest net gain (17%). It underscores the opportunity for products like Veg’chop and THIS’s Super Superfood, which pack legumes and vegetables in compact plant protein blocks.
In Germany, however, non-dairy milk has seen the biggest net hike (16%), followed by other plant-based dairy items and meat alternatives (both 13%). Traditional plant proteins also score low here (a 6% increase), behind only fish-free seafood.
Consumers want to cut out meat, but plant-based barriers remain
Courtesy: GFI Europe
So what’s driving this shift away from meat and dairy? In the UK, high costs (cited by 25%) and health concerns (24%) are the primary factors, followed closely by changing taste preferences (19%), which would explain why oat, almond and other milks have reached 35% of households in the country.
Shifting taste preferences are the primary factor pushing Germans away from meat and dairy (26%), with cost (23%) and health (19%) further down the pecking order. Meanwhile, only 6% and 7% of respondents in the UK and Germany, respectively, are doing so for environmental reasons, highlighting a wider trend in Europe.
Courtesy: GFI Europe
Despite these cost concerns, people in both countries think meat and dairy are much more cost-friendly than plant-based alternatives. Animal proteins score much higher on the taste scale, too, and respondents tend to have much greater knowledge about them.
However, this is outlined by some major perception differences between flexitarians and omnivores – the former group is much more likely to enjoy the taste of products like Beyond Meat and Oatly, feel good after eating them, and be influenced by animal welfare or climate change.
The three types of dietary change consumers
Courtesy: GFI Europe
The researchers divided the respondents into four profiles based on their motivations and demographics, including one set of consumers who don’t plan to change their diets (making up nearly half of both populations).
Among the others, one of the groups, Meat & Dairy Reducers, involved those who want to eat less of these foods without increasing plant-based food intake. This is characterised mainly by older people looking to lose weight, and comprises 13% of consumers in both countries.
Meanwhile, a sixth of the respondents were identified as Plant-Based Increasers, who want to eat more vegan food without cutting back on animal proteins. These consumers tend to be younger and higher-earning, and often men, seeking protein and fibre with fitness goals like muscle-building.
Courtesy: GFI Europe
Finally, the largest dietary change cohort was the More Plants, Less Meat & Dairy subset. This includes people looking for healthier lifestyles, often with weight-loss goals. They account for a fifth of the respondents in each country.
“Applying this model to behaviour change has brought much-needed clarity and direction to the plant-based food sector. For the first time, we can clearly see the gaps in capability and opportunity that exist for people who are interested in eating more plant-based food or reducing their meat and dairy intake,” says Indy Kaur, founder of Plant Futures.
“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.”
How the plant-based industry can adapt
Courtesy: THIS
The researchers put the onus on retailers and food producers to normalise plant-based eating as an everyday habit, and help consumers overcome a lack of familiarity with supportive tools (like providing recipe suggestions).
Plant-based food stakeholders must collaborate and use the right platform to educate consumers about the nutritional benefits of their products and how they contribute to a balanced diet. And as younger generations – especially men – opt for red meat over plants, the industry must shift its positioning to stay relevant with this demographic.
As for brands, they need to understand what drives their target audiences, whether that’s protein for muscle gain, weight loss, sustainability, or a combination of factors. Tailoring their product messaging to highlight these properties will attract like-minded consumers.
To tackle food tech neophobia and bridge the gap with familiarity, brands should consider developing new products and marketing existing ones via recognisable ingredients, cuisines, formats, and packaging. They should also be easy to prepare.
Finally, they should use regular consumer feedback and track repeat purchase rates to fine-tune the flavour of their products and ensure they’re satisfying, delicious, and seen as high-quality.
“This report reveals a potential market for these products extending far beyond vegans or vegetarians,” says Breewood. “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.”
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