Prime Highlights
- Plant-based food demand is showing renewed and sustainable growth, marking a positive turnaround after challenging years.
- Consumers are increasingly shifting toward natural, minimally processed plant-based options, reflecting evolving health and lifestyle priorities.
Key Facts
- Chilled plant-based food volumes grew 1.7% in the last 12 weeks, with staples like tofu, tempeh, and seitan rising by 12% annually.
- Plant-based mince saw a 25% surge, while products like falafels and plant-based snacks recorded over 5% growth, indicating rising consumer adoption.
Background
Tesco reported a renewed growth in demand for chilled plant-based food products, marking it as the first sign of sustainable growth after several challenging years for the sector.
According to industry data for the previous year, the volume demands for chilled plant-based foods in UK supermarkets rose by just 1%. The reports show a 1.7% growth in the last 12 weeks, though the specific source of these reports is not named.
Tesco also confirmed that its internal sales data reflects this upward trend. This rise has contributed to increased consumer interest in natural and minimally processed plant-based options.
There is a particularly strong growth in traditional plant-based staples. There’s an increase in demand for tofu, tempeh, and seitan, which has seen a rise by 12% over the past year. The plant-based mince has seen an impressive increase by 25%.
Falafels and mini plant-based sausages experienced a growth of more than 5%. These Snacking options gained a suitable amount of attention, as per the reports.
The Natural plant-based brand “Gosh” recorded 6% volume growth in the last 52 weeks for its Moroccan Falafel products, which reflects broader momentum within the category. The latest numbers suggest that plant-based foods are transforming from a short-term to a long-lasting dieting shift.
Tesco shows Higher repeat purchases in plant-based ready meals, also, there’s growth in dairy alternatives and increased trial across frozen vegetarian lines. These reports reflect a maturing market; consumers are making balanced, health-conscious food, which is a positive sign for long-term stability.
The shoppers are once again prioritising nutrition and environmental considerations.
