Plant-based food sales gain momentum in Europe

By: Tisza Andrea Date: 2024. 12. 19. 11:20

Sales of plant-based foods have taken off in Europe, and in some countries – the UK, Spain and Germany – plant-based milk alternatives and meat products are already in the mainstream.

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.

Consumers want diversity

Consumers are choosing plant-based foods partly for the sake of experimentation and partly because of environmental concerns. Analysis by Innova Market Insights reveals that more than half of consumers – especially Gen Y and Gen Z – expect more choice.

Half of consumers – especially Gen Y and Gen Z – want more choice, according to Innova Insights

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. //