The European Commission’s latest strategy for food research includes positive references to diversifying protein supply and scaling up fermentation capacity, but fails to commit to funding the alternative protein research needed to achieve these aims.
The UK has one of the most well-established ecosystems for plant-based meat in Europe, with a diverse research field and innovative and longstanding plant-based meat producers. Learn more about how wider uptake of plant-based meat could contribute to improving public health and a more resilient food system.
GFI Europe has described the EU Protein Plan's omission of concrete measures to scale up the production of plant-based foods as a ‘missed opportunity’ for European farmers who need confidence to shift towards growing protein crops for human consumption.
The cost of making plant-based spaghetti bolognese and meatballs is now on average 33% cheaper at the UK's biggest supermarket than making the same dishes with beef, lamb and pork mince.
The first study of its kind has found that swapping processed meat with popular plant-based options leads to meaningful dietary improvements.
‘Burger’ and ‘sausage’ can still be used to describe plant-based meat products – but dozens of other everyday terms are to be banned under unnecessary restrictions that will confuse consumers, hurt the EU economy and jeopardise European resilience.
Alternative proteins could add €111 billion a year to the EU’s economy by 2040 if treated as a strategic priority, new research shows.
Nonprofit think tank the Good Food Institute Europe (GFI Europe) has welcomed plans in today’s Biotech Act to expand the advice regulators provide to innovators bringing new foods to market. But it has described plans to exclude Novel Foods from regulatory sandboxes as a 'missed opportunity'.
In the world at large and for alternative proteins, 2025 has been a year of turbulence. Beneath the surface, however, the European alternative protein ecosystem has continued to mature.
The EU’s new Bioeconomy Strategy has outlined plans that will support fermentation innovators in scaling up production and bringing food products to market.
