A new survey on "Evolving appetites: an in-depth look at European attitudes towards plant-based eating" has found 51 per cent of meat eaters in Europe are actively reducing the volume of meat they consume annually.
Funded by the EU's Smart Protein Project, the survey follows the organisation's survey on Smart Protein published in 2021, which was entitled 'What Consumers Want' and commissioned to determine changes in EU consumer behaviour over a two-year period.
According to the results, the primary motivation for reducing meat consumption is for health reasons (47 per cent), especially in Romania and Italy, followed by environmental concerns (29%), mostly in Denmark and the Netherlands, and animal welfare (26%), mostly in Germany and the Netherlands.
Increasing numbers of people are choosing to reduce their meat intake and policy makers and industry can use this knowledge to make respective decisions on the production and promotion of plant-based foods.
Jasmijn de Boo, CEO of food awareness organisation ProVeg International, which conducted the survey in partnership with the University of Copenhagen and Ghent University, says: “This new report provides a deeper understanding of the long-term potential of the plant-based sector and offers proven practical recommendations so that further growth can be sustained.”
Main findings of the survey
“As stated in the Farm to Fork Strategy, alternative proteins, such as plant, microbial, or marine proteins, is one of key areas of research for a sustainable, healthy and inclusive food system”, says Cindy Schoumacher, Policy Officer at the European Commission. “The aim is to stimulate food consumption that is sustainable in both health and environmental aspects, highlighting the importance of plant-based diets.
The Smart Protein project is providing key information to fill knowledge gaps on alternative proteins and contributes to the achievement of the objectives of the European Green Deal”.
Smart Protein Co-ordinator, Professor Emanuele Zannini PhD, says it was important to provide clear and simple information about the ingredient’s origin and processes and the technology applied for the development of safe and nutritious plant-based food products.
He explains: “This will encourage more and more consumers - including the more sceptical ones - to embrace, with more confidence, a shift towards a better diet for their health and for the planet.
This is a clear target for food scientists and food ingredient industries”.
Survey methodology
The survey was carried out with support from Innova Market Insights, a market research company based in the Netherlands. 7,500 people in 10 European countries - Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain, UK were asked about their attitudes towards the consumption of plant-based foods, their trust in these products, their current consumption habits and the key drivers of their food choices.
Forthcoming webinar on the survey
A webinar will take place on 14 November 2023 between 11 am–12 noon (CET) allowing participants to learn more about consumer preferences and behaviours towards plant-based foods over the past two years.
Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the long-term potential of the plant-based food industry and the extent to which further growth can be sustained.
The aim is to stimulate food consumption that is sustainable in both health and environmental aspects
