Plant-Based Milk And Meat Are Now Mainstream In Europe, Report Finds

A new analysis by the Good Food Institute (GFI) reveals that plant-based products like milk and meat alternatives are now mainstream staples in the UK, Spain, and Germany. Read more: Report Calls For Plant-Based Food Action Plan In Europe GFI also reported overall growth in plant-based sales of 5.5 percent across six key European countries between 2022 and 2023, where they reached EUR €5.

4 billion last year. As well as the UK, Spain, and Germany, these countries include France, Italy, and the Netherlands. The plant-based non-profit and think tank analyzed previously unpublished Circana retail sales data to produce its recent summary , and noted that Europe’s plant-based growth continues despite a particularly “turbulent period” for the food industry overall.

Thirty-seven percent of households in Germany, 33 percent in the UK, and 19 percent in Spain purchased plant-based meat at least once last year. Over 33 percent of households in Germany and the UK and 40 percent in Spain bought plant-based milk at least once. Certain categories are also making further progress towards price parity with animal products, a long-awaited benchmark of success for the sector.

For example, brand-name plant-based cream products are typically cheaper than dairy in the UK, while Germany’s private-label plant-based milk is 13 percent cheaper than equivalent private-label dairy milk. Read more: Germany’s Dietary Guidelines Now Acknowledge Plant-Based Benefits Policymakers and manufacturer.