Research shows 80% of Europeans have changed the way they consume meat or meat alternatives

Our research interviewed 1,000 meat-alternative shoppers across the UK, Germany, France, Italy and The Netherlands to understand how the growth of the plant-based food sector, coupled with the pandemic, has affected consumer shopping habits and their packaging preferences.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, various studies have been conducted into shoppers attitudes towards everyday goods such as The European Consumer Organisation, BCG and Blue Horizon and Eit Food. These studies showed that as the pandemic compelled more consumers to stay indoors and cook for themselves, shoppers have an increased awareness and sensitivity to packaging when making purchasing decisions. Many of these decisions have been based around affordability, sustainability, safety and nutrition.

The rise of meat alternatives

Our own research revealed that 80% of consumers across Europe have changed the way they consume meat or meat alternatives, with 50% of consumers eating more meat-alternatives since the Covid-19 outbreak. The full report, entitled “Packaging and meat-alternative lovers: How an eye for detail is shaping purchase behaviour in Europe” breaks down the results by country. For example, in Italy nearly half (43%) of consumers said they are eating more meat alternatives since the pandemic.

[Download our report to discover all the insights]

The research shows that there are two reasons for this shift that stood out: concerns about animal welfare and wanting to incorporate more vegetables into their diets.

The European meat alternatives market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 28.67% from 2020-2027. With more meat alternative products to choose from every year, brands are facing tougher competition with increased expectations to provide packaging that is sustainable, informative and attractive.

Packaging takes a front seat in consumer decision-making

Our reseach also found that consumers of meat alternatives are more likely to pay attention to food packaging than before. Twenty percent want more detailed information on their food packaging, and 95% say they want to be able to understand the finer details of what they’re consuming. Meanwhile, 89% want visibility of the product.

Transparent packaging that shows off the appearance and texture of food is a growing consumer trend. This could be because they want to understand what they’re buying, given the relative novelty of some meat alternatives on the market today. Transparent packaging also reassures consumers that the food they’re buying is still fresh and safe to eat – so packaging needs to achieve a minimalist look and feel, while still providing high barrier performance to ensure the food remains healthy and does not go to waste.

Sustainability is more important than ever

Two years ago, in our 2020 report “It’s a Wrap” the large majority (72%) of European consumers said they were willing to pay 5% more for food products in more sustainable packaging. This trend remains steady in 2022, with 75% of meat-alternative shoppers today saying they would pay an additional 5% for more sustainable packaging. This may be explained by the fact that 42% told us they are opting to eat more plant-based alternatives due to environmental reasons.

The importance placed on packaging sustainability has not reduced during the pandemic. Even as many consumers re-examine lifestyle habits, the desire to protect the planet is still a top priority. 67% of respondents told us that they regularly check packaging for clues to determine its sustainability, with terms like “recyclable” and “less plastic” resonating the highest (30% and 25% respectively). In the UK in particular, the term “recyclable” especially resonated for 38% of consumers, while the term “less plastic” showed the same level of engagement as the European average. Recyclability was rated as very important by 53% of the French consumers too.

These findings highlight a growing shift towards more eco-conscious consumers, who supplement their reduced meat consumption with a keener awareness of packaging and labels.

Do you want to know more about consumers' perceptions of Meat Alternatives? Download our full research report. And join us with Mintel to explore the latest plant-based trends. Watch our on-demand Webinar, in collaboration with Mintel.