According to United Nations estimates, the world population will increase to 9.8 billion people by 2050 (United Nations, 2017), so a plant-based diet becomes not only an ethical or healthier lifestyle choice – it becomes inevitable in order to ensure the constantly growing need for food. Cultured meat and plant-based alternatives to animal products would help solve this problem, but are people prone to reorientation?
Innova Market Insights, together with ProVeg International and the Universities of Copenhagen and Ghent, conducted a study to assess the readiness of European consumers to change their eating habits. The study involved more than 7,500 people from 10 different European countries (Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom) and the results were published as recently as 2021. in November.
After evaluating the results of the conducted research, the following conclusions can be formulated:
1. Plant-based foods have significant potential in Europe (especially among flexitarians)
As many as 30 consumers who took part in the % study claimed to be flexitarians, in other words - strictly limiting the consumption of animal-derived foods. The most proponents of flexitarian diet live in the Netherlands (42 % respondents) and Romania (40 % respondents). Only less than a tenth of all respondents (7 %) admitted to choosing a vegetarian or vegan diet. When assessing the stability of eating habits, it was revealed that only omnivorous and vegetarian eating patterns can be considered long-term and established. Flexitarian, pescetarian and plant-based eating habits are quite new - many of the respondents have chosen these eating patterns in the last two years.
2. There is a fundamental transition towards plant-based nutrition
In terms of animal-based food intake, cheese (from several times a week to several times a day), eggs, milk and yogurt are the most commonly eaten, with chicken being the most common animal of choice. On the other hand, a significant number of respondents admit that they intend to change their eating habits - 401 TP3T respondents want to reduce meat consumption, and 30 % want to reduce the consumption of dairy products. It is also important that as many as 46 of the % meat-eating population claim that they currently eat less meat compared to last year, and 30 % intend to include more plant-based meat and milk substitutes in their menu.
3. Insufficient availability, high cost, lack of information and unfavorable social factors are the main obstacles in choosing a plant-based nutrition model
Despite the rapid growth of the plant-based food sector, consumers face different obstacles in their efforts to form fully plant-based eating habits. Almost half of the surveyed flexitarians believe that the selection of plant-based foods in stores and catering establishments is insufficient and admit that they would like to receive more information about plant-based foods. Exactly 50 % respondents believe that the price of plant-based food is too high, and one third's decision to continue choosing animal products is influenced by the attitudes of relatives - 33 % surveyed consumers agreed with the statement "my family/partner will not agree to eat plant-based foods".
4. Flexitarians trust the quality and safety of plant-based foods
The global pandemic led to a change in the public's attitude towards food safety - as many as 60 % users say they care about food safety more than before the start of the pandemic (FoodNavigator, 2021). When assessing the attitude towards the safety of plant-based foods, 61 flexitarians surveyed by % noted that they are confident that plant-based protein foods are safe to consume, and 60 % said they believe that the labeling of these foods is accurate and clear. The favorable attitude of flexitarians towards plant-based proteins varies depending on the product groups - plants (grain and legume products) are most trusted, mushroom and algae products are least trusted, while cultured products (meat, milk, etc.) and insect products are least trusted.
5. Plant-based chicken, beef, salmon, tuna and mozzarella and sliced cheese are the most sought-after flexitar products
Based on the results of the survey, it can be said that the European population currently prefers well-known vegetable products - potatoes, rice, lentils, chickpeas and almonds. Nevertheless, a clear desire of the participants of the survey to supplement the menu with previously usual and favorite substitutes for animal products was revealed. Flexitarian nutrition enthusiasts have identified the need to find a greater variety of plant-based products in supermarkets, especially plant-based "chicken" and "beef" products. When evaluating the supply of fish substitutes, salmon and tuna are the most longed for. It would be desirable to supplement the variety of cheese with a greater abundance of sliced cheese and vegetable mozzarella-type cheese products.
6. Good taste and health benefits are the most important
What do consumers care about most when choosing plant-based foods? The survey data revealed that the most important features of foods for European flexitarians are good taste and health benefits. Freshness, "clean composition" (absence of artificial additives) and low price are also of great importance when choosing food. When it comes to the ethical aspects of food products, environmental protection and animal welfare are ranked 6th and 7th respectively in terms of importance, with more than 20 different aspects assessed. It is interesting that innovativeness and exclusivity are not of great importance for the popularity of plant-based products - these aspects of food products were chosen by the smallest number of respondents who evaluated their purchasing habits.
7. The availability of products in low-price stores is extremely significant
In many European countries, the popularity of plant-based food is related to the variety of choices in discount stores. In Germany, which is one of the leaders in assessing the popularity of plant-based nutrition in society, as many as 25 % of whole plant-based food are bought in these "warehouse-type" stores. Lidl and Cash&Carry can be classified as low-price grocery stores in Lithuania.
Looking ahead, the most consumers intend to shop at traditional supermarkets (65 %), discount stores (43 %), specialty food stores (eg bakeries, cheese shops, etc.) (23 %) and farmers markets (20 %) . It is worth mentioning once again the importance of low-price stores to the survey participants - as many as 61 % Polish and 54 % German consumers admitted that they intend to buy food products in this type of store in the future. Therefore, in order to popularize plant-based nutrition, it is important to ensure the variety of plant-based food products in different types of outlets. Another means of popularization could be the integrated-segregated approach recommended by The Good Food Institute (2021), when plant-based substitutes for traditional products (meat, milk, eggs, etc.) are placed on different but adjacent shelves . This approach would replace the now common "vegetarian-vegan stations" with a greater variety of products in all food sections.
8. The main sources of information about plant-based nutrition are search engines and websites
To learn more about a plant-based diet, Google is the most used search engine (almost 60 % respondents) and websites offering health and nutrition content (almost half of respondents). What information do research participants find most reliable? Websites are in first place, Google is second, and information found on social networks (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) is the least trusted! These results should be taken into account when offering informative content related to the popularization of plant-based nutrition - it is especially important to ensure the supply and availability of quality content for the younger generation.
Summarizing the results of the market research of European countries, one can sincerely rejoice - residents tend to change their eating habits! Becoming a fully plant-based flexitarian diet, which is currently gaining popularity, will depend on how quickly and smoothly the fundamental obstacles to reorientation are taken into account and the basic needs of consumers are responded to.
The full research report in English can be found here: https://smartproteinproject.eu/wp–content/uploads/FINAL_Pan–EU–consumer–survey_Overall–Report–.pdf
