Grocery Eye

The end of the road for the plant-based category? We don’t think so.

As headlines focus on the demise of various plant-based brands, our latest Grocery Eye report explores the role of plant-based in today’s UK diets, with one question in mind: after such a rapid initial growth, is it already the end of the road for the plant-based category?

Julie Vigne Senior Research Director 21/07/2023

35% of consumers are cutting down on unhealthy snacks

This quarter’s Grocery Eye results show once again that there is no one definition of healthy eating, nor one way to achieve a healthy diet.

Reassuringly, we see that consumers are less worried about the impact of the cost of living crisis on their ability to maintain a healthy diet, as they begin to find ways to adapt their shopping and cooking behaviours.

However, we also see that this change is easier managed by older generations while some younger consumers are more likely to eat less – and possibly not enough – to combat food inflation.

Appetite for healthy eating…

The desire to eat healthy remains though, with strong opportunities around high protein; in particular, among Gen Zs and Millennials.

As for plant-based diet, it is still going strong, with a focus on finding better value alternatives (which logically benefits own labels), and plant-based ranges still expending at all major supermarkets.

Is plant-based a step too far for many consumers?

Our data also shows that plant-based is not for everyone. And although younger generations are much more open to it and see the category as just another protein, dessert or milk alternative; older consumers have much stronger attitudinal barriers which might be difficult to break down.

…and this has direct implications both in terms of communications and activation, especially as Gen Z are looking for recipe inspirations and more intuitive location in store.