Inflation and low consumer confidence have continued to exert pressure on the meat substitutes market, with volume sales declining. The high cost compared to scratch cooking and meat-based alternatives has put meat alternatives under scrutiny.
Meat Substitutes Market – Current Landscape
Mintel’s meat alternatives market analysis predicts that sustainability and health-conscious eating will be on the rise once consumer incomes regain momentum. This presents significant growth opportunities and will encourage a return to foodservice, posing competition for meat substitute brands in retail, but also a potential route for driving awareness.
Key barriers to participation in the meat alternatives market are uncertainty about whether meat substitutes deliver on taste and convenience. Emphasising the ease and speed of preparing meat substitutes and showcasing the flavour and quality of new products and recipes in brand communications remains essential to support future market growth.
UK Meat Alternatives Market Statistics
- Meat Substitutes Market Challenges: Only 16% of adults perceive meat substitutes that mimic meat as tasty.
- Consumer Behaviour in the UK Meat Alternatives Market: 39% of buyers say they were encouraged to try a new product after browsing the meat-free aisle, underscoring the significant impact of retail visibility on driving sales.
Meat Substitutes Market Research – What’s Inside?
Key Topics Analysed in this Report
- Meat consumption habits and usage of meat substitute products.
- Key meat alternatives market trends, launch activity, and future market opportunities.
- Attributes associated with meat substitutes, including poor taste perception and lack of convenience.
- Prompts to buy a new meat substitute product, including browsing the meat-free aisle, and the influence of foodservice.
- Consumer behaviours related to meat alternatives, including how meat substitutes foster a sense of inclusion for non-meat eaters.
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
This report is written by Isabelle Shilling, Research Analyst. Isabelle joined Mintel in 2021. She writes and produces reports which cover a variety of topics within the UK food and drink industry.
Volume sales in the meat alternatives market fell further in 2024. While rising interest in healthy eating and sustainability holds potential, the meat substitutes market must tackle doubts about taste and convenience.
Isabelle Shilling
Research Analyst
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Opportunities for meat substitutes
- Challenging poor taste perceptions will be key
- Highlighting convenience can unlock more usage occasions
- Shelf standout remains critical for brands
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Market size & forecast
- Market predictions
- Volumes will return to growth, underpinning 26% rise in value
- Tofu bucks declining trend; sausages, burgers and ingredients are a hit
- Graph 1: retail value sales of chilled meat substitutes, by sub-segment, 2022-24
- Top four players take half the spend in chilled
- Graph 2: leading brands’ sales in the chilled meat substitutes market, by value, 2021/22-2023/24
- Quorn retains the lead in frozen segment
- Graph 3: leading brands’ sales in frozen meat substitutes, by value, 2021/22-2023/24
- What consumers want and why
- Flexitarian trend firmly mainstream
- Graph 4: meat eating habits, 2019-2024
- Perception that eating less meat has health benefits rises
- Graph 5: benefits associated with eating less meat, 2021-24
- Sausages, ingredients and burgers are most popular types of meat substitutes
- Graph 6: types of meat substitutes eaten in the last six months, 2024
- Meat substitutes are on the weekly menu for three in five users
- Graph 7: frequency of eating meat substitutes, 2022-24
- Few adults see meat substitutes as tasty or convenient…
- Graph 8: attributes associated with meat substitutes and processed meat products, 2024
- …highlighting the need to emphasise these in brand communications
- Two in five have gained inspiration from browsing the meat-free aisle
- Graph 9: prompts to buy a new meat substitute product, 2024
- Three in five think meat substitutes can foster a sense of inclusion
- Graph 10: behaviours related to meat substitutes, 2024
- Innovation and marketing
- Range extensions dominate launches in 2024
- Graph 11: share of meat substitutes launches, by launch type, 2020-24
- Leading grocers add to own-brand meat substitutes
- Brands focus on eating experience, flavours and packaging revamps
- Advertising expenditure falls in 2023 and 2024
- Graph 12: total above-the line, online display, direct mail advertising expenditure meat substitutes*, by advertiser, 2021-24
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MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market size and performance
- Market’s recent decline continues in 2024…
- Graph 13: retail value and volume sales of meat substitutes, 2019-24
- …leaving it below 2019 levels
- Market forecast
- Value growth will gain pace
- Volume sales to return to growth
- Return to volume growth ahead
- Value growth will gain pace
- Market segmentation
- Frozen makes modest share gains in another year of decline
- Graph 14: retail value sales of meat substitutes, by segment, 2022-24
- Tofu bucks declining trend in chilled segment…
- Graph 15: retail value sales of chilled meat substitutes, by sub-segment, 2022-24
- …helped by its low price and ‘clean label’ proposition
- Burgers and sausages lose ground in frozen
- Graph 16: retail value sales of frozen meat substitutes, by sub-segment, 2022-24
- Market share
- Chilled segment remains one of two halves
- Graph 17: leading brands’ sales in the chilled meat substitutes market, by value, 2021/22-2023/24
- Tofoo shines in a strong tofu segment
- THIS gains further share in 2023/24
- Smaller brands build listings, The Vegetarian Butcher reported to go on sale
- Quorn retains the lead in frozen segment
- Graph 18: leading brands’ sales in frozen meat substitutes, by value, 2021/22-2023/24
- Linda McCartney loses and THIS gains in 2023/24
- Market drivers
- Real wage growth continues, many consumers are still catching up
- Graph 19: CPI inflation rate and total pay growth rate, 2021-24
- 27% see their finances as ‘healthy’
- Graph 20: the financial wellbeing index, 2016-24
- Consumer confidence for the year ahead weakens in 2024
- Graph 21: the financial confidence index, 2016-24
- Strong consumer interest in healthy eating
- Graph 22: how often people try to eat healthily, 2018-24
- Highly processed foods come under scrutiny…
- …with calls for more research
- Interest in sustainability to gain ground as income pressures ease
- Leading grocers commit to growing sales of meat substitutes
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Meat eating habits
- Flexitarian trend firmly mainstream
- Graph 23: meat eating habits, 2019-2024
- Half of 16-34s have reduced or shun meat
- Graph 24: meat eating habits, by age, 2024
- Benefits associated with eating less meat
- Perception that eating less meat has health benefits rises…
- Graph 25: benefits associated with eating less meat, 2021-24
- …and looks set remain a key area to focus on
- Younger groups more likely to associate health benefits with eating less meat
- Graph 26: health benefits associated with eating less meat, by age, 2024
- Usage of meat substitutes
- Half of adults eat meat substitutes
- Meat reduction remains key usage driver
- Graph 27: meat substitutes usage in the last six months, by meat eating habits, 2024
- Younger groups are top users of meat substitutes
- Graph 28: meat substitutes usage in the last six months, by age, 2024
- Sausages, ingredients and burgers are most popular types of meat substitutes
- Graph 29: types of meat substitutes eaten in the last six months, 2024
- Meat substitutes are on the weekly menu for three in five users
- Graph 30: frequency of eating meat substitutes, 2022-24
- Attributes associated with meat substitutes
- Few adults see meat substitutes as tasty or convenient
- Graph 31: attributes associated with meat substitutes and processed meat products, 2024
- Meat substitutes are not widely seen as convenient or easy to prepare
- Highlight convenience
- Recipe suggestion can offer inspiration to shoppers
- Co-location can frame meat substitutes as a ‘like-for-like’ swap
- All types of meat substitutes struggle on taste perceptions
- Few adults see meat substitutes as tasty…
- …reaffirming the need to spotlight this element
- Sampling has a role to play…
- …as do brand collaborations
- Prompts to buy a new meat substitute product
- The meat-free aisle, promotions and recommendations are leading prompts for trial
- Graph 32: prompts to buy a new meat substitute product, 2024
- Two in five have gained inspiration from browsing the meat-free aisle
- Presence in the meat-free aisle drives buying
- Packaging updates are firmly warranted
- Importance of browsing can pose challenges for frozen
- Younger groups find buying inspiration from multiple sources
- Graph 33: prompts to buy a new meat substitute product, by age group, 2024
- Foodservice trials prompt a third of 16-34s to buy in retail
- Recommendations from friends/family prompt buying for one in three
- Implied user endorsement from social media is an opportunity area
- Referral schemes are a tried-and-tested method to encourage recommendations…
- …which can be actioned beyond DTC channels
- Behaviours related to meat substitutes
- Three in five think meat substitutes can foster a sense of inclusion
- Graph 34: behaviours related to meat substitutes, 2024
- Meat substitutes can lean into a powerful image of bringing people together…
- …on everyday and social occasions
- Cater to seasonal occasions
- Convenience is crucial
- Co-locate with meat products to drive visibility
- A wow-factor is needed to tap social gatherings opportunity
- Go beyond Christmas
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INNOVATION AND MARKETING ACTIVITY
- Launch activity and innovation
- Range extensions dominate launches in 2024
- Graph 35: share of meat substitutes launches, by launch type, 2020-24
- Own-label gained share of launches in 2024
- Graph 36: share of meat substitute launches, by branded vs private label, 2020-24
- Leading grocers add to own-brand meat substitutes…
- …including festive and barbecue ranges
- Own-label launches in 2024
- Meat substitute brands extend ranges, with Tofoo Co highly active
- The Tofoo Co and Squeaky Beans launch a slew of new products
- Gosh! and THIS add to ranges
- THIS and Gosh! look to improve the eating experience
- The Vegetarian Butcher moves into fish alts, Quorn draws inspiration from social media
- Meat substitute mince format attracts NPD
- Meat substitute mince launches in 2024
- Brands revamp their packaging in 2024
- Packaging refreshes for brands
- THIS launches new branding and tagline
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Advertising expenditure dips in 2023 and 2024
- Graph 37: total above-the line, online display, direct mail advertising expenditure meat substitutes*, by advertiser, 2021-24
- Beyond Meat highlights taste in Veganuary campaign
- Quorn continues its ‘So Tasty’ campaign
- Quorn ‘So Tasty Why Choose The Alternative’
- Meatless Farm launches summer campaign
- VFC challenges fast food brand KFC
- FrieslandCampina and The Tofoo Co focus on outdoor advertising
- La Vie launches TV ad
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APPENDIX
- Supplementary data: advertising and marketing activity
- Total above-the line, online display, direct mail advertising spend on meat substitutes, by advertiser, 2021-24
- Market segmentation
- Chilled meat substitute value sales by sub-segment
- Chilled meat substitute volume sales by sub-segment
- Frozen meat substitute value sales by sub-segment
- Frozen meat substitute volume sales by sub-segment
- Market share
- Leading brands’ value sales – chilled meat substitutes
- Leading brands’ volume sales – chilled meat substitutes
- Leading brands’ value sales – frozen meat substitutes
- Leading brands’ volume sales – frozen meat substitutes
- Market forecast data and methodology
- Market forecast
- UK: market forecast and prediction intervals for retail value sales of meat substitutes, 2024-29
- UK: market forecast and prediction intervals for retail volume sales of meat substitutes, 2024-29
- Forecast methodology
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations and terms
- Consumer research methodology
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
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