As Veganuary kicks off, isn’t it time to give the supermarket shelf a bit of a facelift?
Let’s look at the stats. Category-wide sales of plant-based meat fell £37.3m over the past year. Whilst other plant-based categories have continued to grow, meat-free household penetration has stagnated at 47% for the past two years, and its market share of the meat, fish and poultry category has remained at 2% since 2020 [Mintel, AHDB].
This is partly down to a lack of choice. Supermarkets have invested heavily in faux meats, which are currently driving growth in the category. A flurry of new products have hit the shelves that aim to get as close to the taste of meat as possible. For shoppers on the hunt for faux chicken or a meatless burger, it’s fair to say there’s no shortage of options.
But what’s on shelf for shoppers who don’t want something that tastes like meat? Or for those primarily driven by health to reduce their meat intake, as we know most flexitarians are [YouGov]?
Whilst faux meat products take up the majority of shelf space, there’s growing concern about what goes into these products, with 61% of shoppers saying faux meats are too processed [Lumina Intelligence, Mintel]. We’re also seeing increased demand for natural options, as shown by over half of shoppers (58%) preferring natural plant-based foods over substitutes. In fact, for more than a third (38%), natural ingredients are the single most important purchase factor when buying meat-free.
Why, then, are there so few natural options on the meat-free shelf?
Right now, there’s a huge opportunity for supermarkets to invest in natural plant-based foods that are pushing new boundaries for nutrition and health.
Success will boil down to variety. This isn’t about faux versus natural – just like most other categories, shoppers want choice. Meat alternatives will always have a place, but it’s about offering more variety on shelf and ensuring there are options that are addressing what shoppers are clearly asking for.
This month, as the plant-based category unites for Veganuary, let’s not forget progress doesn’t happen standing still. We must continue to listen and adapt. We know what shoppers want from the meat-free aisle – a better selection of natural, healthy options. Let’s grab this opportunity and reignite growth.
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