Over the past two years, plant-based food consumption has grown by 49% across the EU, reaching a total sales volume of €3.6 billion.
How can plant-based vegetarian food become more popular among consumers?
2025-05-15
Over the past two years, plant-based food consumption has grown by 49% across the European Union, reaching total sales of €3.6 billion. As the range of plant-based dairy and meat products expands, food manufacturers are seeking to capture a larger share of the market. While plant-based foods are trending upward, manufacturers are far from securing a majority share. So, how can plant-based food companies attract more consumers to plant-based foods?
taste
Taste is consistently ranked as the top factor influencing consumer enjoyment of a product. A recent survey conducted by the International Food Information Council Foundation supports this view, with 88% of respondents stating that taste is the primary reason they purchase a product.
In addition, other factors, from environmental sustainability to concerns about animal welfare and nutrition, are also encouraging consumers to make changes. However, industry insiders say that consumers' final choice still depends on "taste cues." Studies have shown that if the taste of plant-based products can meet consumer needs, nearly 70% of people will buy them repeatedly.
Food manufacturers need to find products that have the same taste and texture as animal products, and these are issues that industry players must address.
color
But in today’s world of social media and digital content, where consumers increasingly view food images through social media, advertising, and online platforms, color is also a factor influencing consumers’ purchases of plant-based foods.
In addition to taste, consumers are also drawn to food's appearance. They want beautiful, delicious food. When the taste is good, people will make repeat purchases, but it's important to note that the initial impulse purchase comes from the product's visual appeal. These days, people even buy food to take photos and share. Excellent visual appeal is crucial, and color is crucial to the development of the next generation of plant-based foods.
price
According to a survey conducted by the Yale Program on Climate Change and the EarthDay Network, nearly 60% of respondents believe plant-based foods are more expensive, and 63% said they would switch to a plant-based diet instead of animal-based foods if they were less expensive. Roughly half of consumers said a plant-based meal is more expensive than a meat-based meal.
If plant-based manufacturers need to make their products more popular and want to encourage more flexitarians and meat-eaters to consume plant-based products, then the prices of plant-based foods need to be more desirable.
In addition, professionals believe that vegetarian and vegan products should not be placed in an invisible corner of the supermarket or listed separately at the bottom of the restaurant menu. If we put it in a prominent place, if its appearance is attractive and cool, and consumers can afford it, then people will consume it.