According to research conducted by Pilgrim’s Food Masters, taste and texture are preventing consumers from buying more meat-free products.
The survey of UK consumers conducted during Veganuary found that more than a quarter (26%) would eat more meat-free foods if they were confident they tasted good, with taste (17%) and texture (16%) cited as the top reasons for putting them off.
Despite this, more than half of Brits (52%) said they had eaten a meat-free product. Over the past two years, the number of consumers looking for meat-free food has increased by 6.5%, and the category is now worth £531 million.
Health and environment
Health and environmental factors were the biggest drivers of purchase, with 37% and 31% of consumers citing these reasons respectively.
In terms of meal occasions, consumers were more likely to serve meatless meals for dinner (38%) and lunch (23%). Pilgrim’s Food Masters said this is further evidence that while new product development has been focused on the dinner table, lunchtime, as well as snacking and breakfast, has been underutilized.
In fact, new product development seems to have been the key to driving growth, as 11% of respondents said they would buy more meatless options if there were more flavors available and a greater range of proteins used.
Consumer appetite
Conor Lowry, category controller at Pilgrim’s Food Masters, added: “We know that there is a clear consumer appetite for meatless products, driven by sustainability and health concerns. But we know that consumers still have barriers to perceiving flavor and texture, and as a category we need to keep raising the bar and delivering on expectations.
“Listening to consumers and responding to their needs is crucial to allow this category to reach its full potential. Consumers expect more in 2023, so continued development is key.”