From environmental concerns to changing dietary habits, diners today are increasingly seeking healthier, more sustainable meals. In the UK alone, demand for plant-based food at quick-service restaurants rose by an impressive 56% in 2024. Meanwhile, a growing number of consumers are reducing their meat intake. 51% of Europeans say they are eating less meat, and 27% now identify as flexitarian – a number that rises to 37% in the US.
Flexitarianism is fast becoming the norm, not the exception. And yet, despite this clear and growing appetite for plant-based options, most food service venues haven’t kept pace. The reality? Menus are still dominated by animal-based dishes, while plant-based options are often limited, tokenistic, or sidelined onto separate menus.
ProVeg International’s latest whitepaper, A roadmap for a more plant-forward food-service sector, provides a comprehensive snapshot of the current landscape and a blueprint for change.
In most European fast-food outlets, just 8-10% of menu items are plant-based, according to ProVeg data. These dishes are often overpriced, lacking in variety, or tailored exclusively to vegans, rather than the growing flexitarian majority. Many aren’t optimised for taste, familiarity, or cultural relevance.
So what’s standing in the way of progress? On the operator side, barriers include perceived high ingredient costs, operational complexity, limited supply chain access, and doubts about consumer demand. On the consumer side, concerns about taste, satisfaction, health, and price persist. Flexitarian diners often feel alienated by separate vegan menus or dish labels.
However, some cities are leading the way. London, ranked by HappyCow as the most plant-based city in the world, now boasts over 3,620 vegan-friendly listings and 154 fully plant-based restaurants. Berlin follows closely behind, with more than 80 vegan restaurants and 1,772 vegan-friendly venues.
It’s clear where we need to go – mainstream menus need to become more inclusive, flavourful, and plant-forward, not just for vegans, but for everyone. That means visible, affordable, and appealing plant-based dishes that compete on equal footing with their animal-based counterparts.To learn what a truly plant-forward food service model looks like and the actionable steps needed to get there, read the full article now on the ProVeg New Food Hub. For more support on your alternative protein strategy, get in touch with ProVeg’s experts at [email protected].
