Research: Four in 10 German and UK adults plan to eat more plant-based food

New research has found that 38% of German and UK adults intend to change their diets by eating more plant-based foods.

Nonprofit and think tank the Good Food Institute Europe (GFI Europe), along with global market research agency HarrisX and industry partner Plant Futures, surveyed 4,827 people across both countries to assess eating habits and attitudes in Europe’s two biggest plant-based food markets. 

The report highlighted the potential for expansion, with 51% of UK and German adults planning to change their diets, either by eating more plant-based foods or by eating less animal meat and dairy. Around one in five people across both countries intend to do both.

The new survey profiles consumer groups based on dietary change intentions, suggests ways the plant-based sector can appeal to a wider range of people, and highlights opportunities to bring these foods closer to animal products on factors like taste, familiarity, and convenience.

The report finds:

• Less than 10% of respondents in both countries described themselves as vegans, vegetarians or pescatarians, but 31% in the UK and 39% in Germany said they were ‘flexitarians’ who ate small amounts of meat or reduced their meat consumption. 
• A further 31% of British and 30% of German adults were meat eaters who had eaten at least one of the eight categories* of plant-based food examined in the report during the previous year. 
• In both countries, nearly two-thirds reported having eaten at least one plant-based category in the last 12 months. 

More than a third in both countries said they had eaten at least one vegetable-based meal – including dishes made with falafel, lentils or chickpeas – over the past month, while around a quarter of people had consumed plant-based meat. In Germany, 30% had consumed plant-based milk in the last month.

The survey identified three groups of consumers planning to change their diets:

• More plants, less meat and dairy – who want to eat more plant-based foods and reduce animal-based meat and dairy consumption. This includes people looking for healthier lifestyles, often with weight loss goals.​
• Plant-based increasers – who want to eat more plant-based foods without reducing animal meat and dairy. This consists of younger, higher-income people, often men, seeking protein and fibre, ​with fitness goals such as building muscle.
• Meat and dairy reducers – who want to eat less meat and dairy without intending to eat more plant-based foods. This tends to be older people wanting to lose weight. 

In Germany, the plant-based category was seen as being slightly worse value for money than meat and dairy.

Almost twice as many people in both countries said they enjoyed the taste of animal-based meat and dairy compared to those who said the same about plant-based foods, and people were far more likely to choose conventional meat and dairy over plant-based foods out of habit.

People also scored plant-based foods lower than conventional meat and dairy on factors such as availability, confidence in cooking and the likelihood of their friends and family eating these foods. Fewer people knew about the nutritional value of plant-based foods than about that of animal-based meat and dairy.

Studies on plant-based meat products available in both countries have consistently found that, on average, plant-based meat products are high in protein, provide a source of dietary fibre, and are low in sugar and saturated fat. Evidence suggests that they can also reduce levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, reduce the risk of bowel cancer,  improve gut health and help maintain a healthy weight.

A recent study found that alongside these benefits, plant-based meat products consistently had a fraction of the environmental impacts of conventional meat, producing 86-94% less greenhouse gas emissions, while using 71-89% less land, and 74-93% less water. 

Recommendations for the industry

The report recommends that retailers and food producers drive lasting change by promoting plant-based foods as part of daily life, showing products eaten in relatable, everyday settings. 

The food industry can also help people gain confidence in preparing plant-based products and connect with consumers’ health priorities by explaining how these foods can contribute to healthy and balanced diets.

Plant-based brands have an opportunity to understand what drives their target audiences, such as muscle gain, weight loss or sustainability, and tailor their messages accordingly. 

They can also bridge the gap between innovation and familiarity by developing products using recognisable cuisines, ingredients, and packaging designs and conducting regular customer feedback to ensure these products meet consumer expectations around taste.

Helen Breewood, Senior Market and Consumer Insights Manager at GFI Europe, said: “Plant-based foods can help tackle some of our most pressing health concerns, and this report reveals a potential market for these products extending far beyond vegans or vegetarians. 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. 

“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.”

Indy Kaur, Founder of Plant Futures, said: “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. 

“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.”

*The plant-based categories included in this survey were: plant-based meat, plant-based fish/seafood, plant-based milk, plant-based dairy, plant-based eggs/egg alternatives, tofu, seitan, tempeh, vegetable-based meals, and plant-based desserts​.