ALT-PROTEIN The
ALT-PROTEIN The plant-based meat market is starting to sizzle in Europe There is a question as to whether Europe is actually using Africa as a guinea pig.” Faten Aggad Drivers of this plant-based shift tend to be young, liberal, educated, female, city-dwelling, and environmentally-conscious, but not necessarily vegan or vegetarian By BJÖRN JÓHANN ÓLAFSSON Meat alternatives aren’t going anywhere. According to a new market report commissioned by the Good Food Institute Europe and compiled by Nielson IQ, the European plant-based food market is now worth over €2bn, having grown every year since 2020. The report, which analysed markets in 13 EU countries, primarily western and central Europe, also found that plantbased dairy is the most widely consumed alternative product, with the animal-free seafood category growing the fastest. Germany, the UK, and Italy are the leading consumers, while the Netherlands, Germany, and Sweden spend the most per capita. This news shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who’s kept their eye on grocery store aisles. A decade ago, vegetarians were limited to limp lentil burgers or tofu nuggets. Now, meat-abstainers are swimming in options – Spanish brand Heura boasts vegan chorizo in multiple flavors, landmark British fast-casual chain Gregg’s sports vegan sausages, and the Netherlands is home to over an array of over 60 plant-based companies. Still, it’s unlikely that plant-based meats will surpass animal protein anytime soon – across the continent, animal farming still dwarfs meat substitutes by about 100 to 1 – but the increasing growth of the plant-based market is nothing to scoff at. The category growth comes at a time Vegan sausages. Plant-based food proponents often call themselves ‘flexitarians’, ‘reducitarians’ or ‘climavores’. Source: LikeMeat/Unsplash
