Plant-based food sales gain momentum in Europe

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2024/12-2025/01

According to a 6-country analysis by the Good Food Institute (GFI) Europe using Circana data from 2022 to early 2024, the plant-based food category grew by 5.5% to EUR 5.4bn last year, driven by growing consumer demand for alternative proteins. Europe’s biggest plant-based food market is Germany, with steady growth in most categories. Helen Breewood, research manager of GFI Europe has pointed out: in spite of a difficult year for the food industry in Europe, the plant-based sector is making progress. For instance plant-based milks have a nearly 10% share of the total dairy market in Germany.

In Germany, Europe’s largest plant-based food market, most categories saw steady growth

Mint arra Helen Breewood, a GFI Europe kutatási menedzsere rávilágított, annak ellenére, hogy Európában az egész élelmiszeripari ágazat nehéz éveket tudhat maga mögött, a növényi alapú szektor halad előre. A növényi tej és húskészítmények számos európai országban kerülnek be a fősodorba, az újonnan megjelenő kategóriák növekednek, és vannak olyan termékek is, amelyek az ár tekintetében már versenyképesnek tekinthetők állati alapú megfelelőikkel szemben.

A szakember szerint a növényi tejitalok számos európai országban kinőttek a feltörekvő kategóriából, és például Németországban közel 10%-os piacrésszel rendelkeznek a tejtermékek teljes piacán. A kategória sikeréhez a továbbiakban a mind jobb minőség, a forró italokhoz fejlesztett barista stílusú termékek megjelenése, valamint a tehéntej és a növényi alapú tejek közötti árkülönbözet mérséklődése is hozzájárulhat.

Plant-based milk drinks have outgrown the emerging category in many European countries, with a significant proportion of households now buying them

Better taste and lower prices are the key to growth

A report combining Circana’s previously unanalysed data with household panel data shows: a significant proportion of households are now buying plant-based meat and milk. In Germany, 37% of households bought plant-based meat at least once last year, and the same is true for 33% in the UK and 19% in Spain. More than a third of German and UK households and 40% of Spanish ones added plant-based milk to their shopping basket at least once. Sales of plant-based milk alternatives rose by 7.1% to EUR 2.2bn. Plant-based meat sales were up 3.9% in value at EUR 2bn. The price gap between animal products and their vegetable equivalents narrowed in Germany and the Netherlands, although it widened slightly in Spain.

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Demand for smaller plant-based food categories is growing strongly, owing to decreasing prices. In Germany and the UK value sales of plant-based cream (which is cheaper than traditional branded cream), increased by 24% to EUR 138m. Plant-based cheese sales were 7% higher at EUR 194m, while volume sales grew by 24% in France, 34% in Spain and 33% in Italy.

Smaller plant-based food categories saw outstanding growth in demand that was boosted by falling prices

At the same time the analysis unveiled a drop in sales of plant-based ready meals, desserts and ice cream. Competitive pricing is the key to sales growth. //