Pigs in gestation crate

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Study: Up to 96% of Brits Oppose Common Animal Farming Practices

Data from Bryant Research has found that the vast majority of the British public opposes a range of common farming practices. For example, 94% of respondents disapprove of keeping chickens in a cage as small as an A4 sheet of paper, while 96% oppose keeping pigs in cages where they cannot turn around. 87% are against cutting off the beaks of newborn chicks, and 85% oppose killing male chicks because they cannot produce eggs. For every practice studied, disapproval rates are at least 75%. The figures show that these practices remain prevalent despite widespread public opposition. For example, 99% of male chicks in the egg industry are currently killed, while 90% of calves have their horn buds removed with a hot iron. However, prevalence data …

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Canadian Food Innovation Network foodtech in canada report

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Canada’s Foodtech Report: Is Canada Ready to Compete in the Global Foodtech Race?

The Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) has released its Foodtech in Canada 2025 Ecosystem Report, offering insights into investment trends, sector strengths, and challenges in Canada’s food technology sector from 2014 to 2024. Canada’s agrifoodtech sector attracted $4.1 billion CAD in investment over the past decade, with $2.3 billion CAD directed to food technology projects. The sector has grown at an 8.4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), surpassing the global average decline of -2.6%. However, venture capital investment in Canadian foodtech lags behind other countries, with only 40% of funding rounds backed by VC, compared to 60% in the UK and US. Instead, government grants play a larger role, representing 30% of Canadian foodtech funding rounds, compared to just 5% in the UK and 8% …

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Cosun Beet

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Study: American Consumers Prefer Falafel Burgers Over More Processed Meat Alternatives

A new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has examined the attitudes of US consumers towards different types of meat alternatives. As part of the study, researchers from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), Humboldt University Berlin, and Georg August University Göttingen surveyed 2,100 US consumers. Participants were asked to choose one of four burgers — a conventional beef burger, a realistic plant-based meat burger (analog), a vegetarian burger imitating the appearance but not the taste or texture of meat (semi-analog), and a falafel burger (non-analog). As expected, the meat burger proved the most popular and was chosen by three-quarters of respondents. However, researchers were surprised to find that the non-analog burger was the most popular meat-free choice, while the …

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online grocery shopping

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Digital “Nudges” in Online Grocery Shopping Promote Plant-Based Choices, Research Finds

New research from Purdue University and the University of Kentucky suggests that online grocery shopping platforms could effectively encourage consumers to choose plant-based foods by implementing strategies such as carbon footprint labeling and product categorization. The study, led by Bhagyashree Katare, an associate professor of agricultural economics at Purdue, and co-author Shuoli Zhao, assistant professor of agricultural economics at the University of Kentucky, was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). It explores the effectiveness of digital “nudges” in promoting sustainable food choices, particularly in the growing sector of online grocery shopping, which accounts for more than 45% of US grocery purchases, according to 2021 data. Online grocery simulation The researchers utilized the Open Science Online Grocery platform, which simulates a …

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2025 Food Megatrends Point to Growth and Innovation for Plant-Based Food

The plant-based and vegan sectors are at the heart of a food revolution driven by sustainability, health, and technological innovation. DigitalFoodLab’s Trends Shaping the Future of Food – 2025 report outlines six megatrends, three of which are particularly significant for the plant-based industry: sustainable ingredients, resilient farms, and food as medicine. These trends highlight how startups, investments, and emerging technologies are advancing solutions to global challenges while creating opportunities for the plant-based sector to expand its influence. Sustainable ingredients The sustainable ingredients space has moved beyond just meat and dairy alternatives, focusing on holistic solutions to climate and health challenges. Plant-based products are regaining momentum, with startups addressing key barriers such as taste, texture, and cost. Companies like Juicy Marbles are creating innovative whole-cut meat …

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Gesunder Veganer Burger

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New BEUC Report Calls on Retailers and Governments to Support Plant-Based Alternatives

A new report from the European Consumer Organization BEUC, “Unwrapping Veggie Burgers”, examines the growing popularity of plant-based meat alternatives in Europe and their potential to diversify protein sources in consumer diets. The report highlights both opportunities and challenges for these products as they gain traction among health-conscious and environmentally aware consumers. The EU has seen a remarkable rise in plant-based alternatives, with consumption of meat substitutes increasing fivefold and plant-based milk tripling since 2011. Flexitarianism is also on the rise, with nearly 30% of EU consumers in 2021 identifying as reducing meat consumption and opting for plant-based options instead. A call for change BEUC’s report lays out a roadmap for promoting plant-based diets across the EU. It recommends incorporating environmental considerations into national dietary …

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Researchers Study Protein-Fat Interactions to Enhance Plant-Based Cheese Texture and Functionality

Scientists at the University of Guelph in Ontario and Canadian Light Source Inc. in Saskatchewan have conducted a study examining how plant-based proteins interact with fat matrices in cheese analogs. Published in Physics of Fluids by AIP Publishing, the research explores strategies to improve the texture, functionality, and nutritional profile of plant-based cheese alternatives. The study focuses on addressing challenges in replicating the sensory properties of traditional dairy cheese, such as creaminess, meltability, and stretchability, which remain key hurdles for plant-based cheese manufacturers. Researchers studied isolates from three plant-based proteins—pea protein, faba bean protein, and lentil protein—to understand their functionality when combined with different fat blends in cheese analogs. The physical properties of the cheese alternatives were analyzed, including melting, stretching, oil loss, and hardness. …

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plant-based meat alternatives

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41.8% of Europeans Have Explored Alternative Proteins in the Past Two Years

A 13-country survey* conducted by FMCG Gurus in partnership with V-Label has illustrated shifting consumer attitudes towards alternative proteins and sustainability in Europe. It finds that 52.2% of Europeans have changed their diets in the past two years, with 29.2% having reduced their red meat consumption. Meanwhile, a huge 41.8% have explored alternative protein sources such as legumes and plant-based alternatives. These changes are predominantly driven by awareness of the health benefits of plant-based food, the environmental impact of animal agriculture, and animal welfare concerns. However, limitations around taste, cost, and availability continue to prevent more widespread adoption of plant-based alternatives. The results also indicate that 44.5% of European consumers believe irreversible damage has been done to the environment, while 69.2% want brands to educate …

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V Label launches advisory board

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Insights from V-Label and YouGov Reveal Rapid Growth of Plant-Based Purchases in Germany

The V-Label strengthens the analysis of plant-based consumption in Germany. Since late 2024, YouGov‘s Consumer & Shopper Intelligence Shopper Panel (formerly Consumer Panel Services, part of the GfK Group until 2023) has incorporated all products labeled as vegan with the V-Label into a new “Vegan” category. To facilitate this, ProVeg – the organization responsible for issuing the V-Label in Germany – provides market researchers with a comprehensive list of all V-Label licensed plant-based products in the country. Plant-based purchases in Germany outpace overall FMCG market The FMCG market includes products that consumers purchase frequently and regularly, such as food and beverages, as well as cosmetics and cleaning products. According to YouGov’s consumption analyses, this market is currently undergoing significant changes. A YouGov Shopper Panel study …

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Latin America Sees a 21.6% Increase in Vegan-Friendly Restaurants

Veganuary has partnered with vegan food discovery platform HappyCow to launch its third-ever rankings of the Latin American countries and cities with the most vegan restaurant options. The study reveals that there are now over 10,000 vegan, vegetarian, and vegan-friendly restaurants in Latin America, up by more than 1,700 compared to 2023. This represents an increase of 21.6%. Rankings by country Brazil takes the top spot in the country rankings with 2,953 vegan-friendly restaurants. Mexico has only 33 fewer, and also has the highest number of fully vegan restaurants. Colombia is in third place, followed by Chile. The latter has seen a huge 27.7% increase in vegan-friendly restaurants, with almost 200 new options added last year. Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Paraguay make up …

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Rewe vegan superstore interior

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Benchmark Protein Transition: The Shift to Plant-based in Dutch Supermarkets is Steadily Progressing

Dutch supermarkets are clearly focusing on selling more plant-based and less animal-based food. They are actively experimenting with measures, such as reducing meat portion sizes. However, acceleration is needed to meet their goals of 60% plant-based protein sales by 2030. Meat and dairy products still feature as prominently in promotional flyers as in previous years. This is highlighted in the Protein Transition Benchmark by the think tank Questionmark, conducted with support from World Animal Protection. The benchmark compares the efforts of the seven largest supermarkets in the Netherlands to promote plant-based over animal-based products. Shift to plant-based underway Over the past year, major Dutch supermarkets have set ambitious goals. While these remain largely on paper, they are visibly taking steps to promote plant-based products at …

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Survey Finds That Two Million Brits Now Identify as Vegan or Plant-Based

A survey conducted by The Vegan Society has found that 3% of people in Great Britain now identify as either vegan or plant-based, representing a total of approximately two million people. There are significant variations between regions, with 4% of the population in London, the North East, and the South West identifying as vegan or plant-based. This falls to 2% in Scotland, Wales, and the East Midlands. 10% of respondents say they are reducing or eliminating their intake of animal products in some way, with 4% identifying as vegetarian and 3% as pescetarian. Younger generations are twice as likely to follow a plant-based diet as older ones, and women are more likely to do so than men (3.6% compared to 1.98%). Additionally, graduates are significantly …

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Fruits/ Vegetables/ Healthy Food

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Study Recommends Reforming VAT Rates to Increase Affordability of Sustainable Foods

A study led by researchers from the Environmental Change Institute and the Oxford Martin School has recommended that VAT (value-added tax) rates on food should be set based on health and environmental considerations. The authors suggest that meat and dairy products should be subject to full VAT rates, while fruits and vegetables should be zero-rated. They say this would help consumers choose healthier and more sustainable diets; on average, it is expected that fruit and vegetable intake would increase by around a portion per week, while meat consumption would decrease by the same amount. The researchers estimate that these reforms could reduce cases of diet-related diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes by 170,000 per year in the UK and EU. Meanwhile, greenhouse gas …

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Vegan protein sources- EIT Food calls for innovative policymaking on protein diversification to address the challenges of the food system Challenges

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Study Finds That Vegans Have Healthier Gut Microbiomes Than Omnivores

A study conducted by science and nutrition company ZOE has compared the gut microbiomes of meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans to determine which are the healthiest. When assessed using the Healthful Plant-Based Diet Index, the vegans in the study had the healthiest diets, followed by the vegetarians and finally the omnivores. Stool samples indicated that the gut microbiome compositions of the three groups were significantly different, with each having its own microbial “signature”. Omnivores had higher numbers of gut bacteria linked to inflammation, including those associated with inflammatory bowel disease. Some of these species are linked to an increased risk of colon cancer and poor cardiometabolic health. On the other hand, vegan gut microbiomes had more species of bacteria that specialize in fermenting fiber. They also …

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Study Examines How Veganism Can Spread Through Social Connections

A new study conducted by nonprofit organization Faunalytics aims to shed light on the way veganism can spread through a social network. To determine the influence of peers on socially influenced behavior changes, the literature review studies smoking cessation, another complex behavior that is triggered multiple times per day. The results indicate that romantic partners are the most influential; people are between 1.3 and 11.8 times more likely to quit smoking if their partner also quits. Other social connections such as friends, coworkers, and siblings also have an influence, but to a lesser degree. This is because long-lasting behavioral changes require complex contagion, which involves repeated exposures by strong ties. However, the influence can still be significant — clusters of smokers often become clusters of …

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WWF-UK States Proportion of “Livestock-Based” Foods in Supermarkets is Almost Double Recommended Levels

Environmental charity WWF-UK has published its annual What’s in Store for the Planet report, which includes data on the lack of progress made by UK retailers towards sustainability targets. WWF-UK has developed a healthy, sustainable diet called Livewell, which it claims could deliver a 36% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a 20% reduction in biodiversity loss by 2030 compared to the current average diet. Livewell has a 40:30:30 percentage split across livestock, seafood, and plant-based protein foods; it is also in line with government nutrition guidelines. This year, the number of retailers who supplied data on the breakdown of protein food sales increased from six to nine. However, the data indicates that 79% of total protein food sales are livestock-based on average, almost double …

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Young couple cooking in kitchen ProVeg

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20% of Young People in Netherlands Want to Give Up Meat

New research conducted by Kieskompas on behalf of ProVeg Netherlands has found that the majority of Dutch people support the idea of a transition towards a more plant-based diet. 20% of young people surveyed said they would like to give up meat, compared to 16% for the general population. 45% of respondents were already flexitarian, while 7% were vegetarian and 2% were vegan. Among those who were not vegetarian or vegan, half wanted to eat less meat. Overall, two-thirds of people said they supported the transition to more plant-based diets, with the majority in favour across age groups, political viewpoints, and regions. The most common reasons for wishing to eat fewer animal products were reducing animal suffering, preventing deforestation, avoiding species extinction, and protecting wild …

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Are plant based foods more nutritional

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Are Plant-Based Alternatives Healthier? Nutritional Review Offers Surprising Insights

With plant-based foods making their way onto more plates, consumers are asking critical questions: are these alternatives as nutritious as traditional meat and dairy products, and are they healthy? ProVeg International’s latest study takes a deep dive into the nutritional profiles of 422 meat alternatives and 251 plant-based milk products across 11 countries, comparing them to their animal-based counterparts. The findings reveal a complex but encouraging picture. On average, plant-based meat alternatives have a higher nutritional quality than animal-based meat, with significantly lower levels of saturated fat and vastly more fibre. Plant-based meat alternatives also contain good amounts of protein – a nutrient that is often up for question. Plant-based milk also stands out, with lower fat and sugar levels compared to cow’s milk, while …

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chickpea tempeh

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Scientific Study Reveals Which Meat Alternatives Offer the Most Health & Environmental Benefits

A study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) has ranked different types of meat alternatives to determine which is best from the perspective of health, the environment, and cost. Titled A multicriteria analysis of meat and milk alternatives from nutritional, health, environmental, and cost perspectives, the study was led by Dr Marco Springmann from the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford and the Institute for Global Health at University College London. The findings indicate that legumes such as beans and peas are the best meat alternative; if chosen over meat and dairy, they would reportedly reduce nutritional imbalances in high-income countries by half and mortality from diet-related diseases by a tenth. Environmental impacts (such as emissions, land …

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A Quarter of British Households Plan to Choose an Alternative to Turkey This Christmas

A survey commissioned by Global Knives has found that 1 in 4 British households intend to serve an alternative to turkey this Christmas, with those aged between 26 and 35 the most likely to make the switch. In some regions, the trend away from turkey is even more significant, with 50% of respondents in Portsmouth, 38% in York, and 33% in Cambridge saying they will opt for an alternative. It is not clear what percentage of these alternatives will be plant-based; however, a recent Tesco survey found that over 27% of respondents will serve or consider prioritising meat-free options this Christmas, supporting the idea that many consumers plan to avoid animal products. Vegetable-based festive dishes Tesco notes that plant-based shoppers are increasingly turning to veg-led …

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