The number of BBQs held around Europe has been rising sharply in recent years. Market worth has also skyrocketed, with the overall BBQ and alfresco dining sector in Europe valued at just over £2.2 billion in 2021, up from £150 million in 1997.
The UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Poland are leading the BBQ market in Western Europe, largely due to the increasing trend of spending time with family and friends for outdoor BBQ activities.
In its latest New Food Hub article, ProVeg International investigates BBQ season as a chance to boost plant-based sales.
Attracting omnivorous and flexitarian consumers
One of ProVeg’s key takeaways is that plant-based meat products are gaining popularity with European consumers and are fast becoming a bigger part of BBQ spreads.
According to a recent pan-European survey led by ProVeg International, 40% of all consumers in Europe now identify as either flexitarian, vegetarian, pescatarian, or vegan. And with 86% of all plant-based purchases being made by flexitarians, it stands to reason that many of these purchases make their way onto our outdoor grills. Indeed, an estimated 29% of all BBQs in 2021 contained a primarily vegetarian or vegan base.
As more consumers adopt flexitarian diets, we are seeing a shift in BBQ-food-purchasing behaviours in favour of more plant-based versions of favourite BBQ-related products. Certainly, in the last two years, the meat-free sector has almost doubled in value (49%), with the dairy-free market close behind. By 2025, it is estimated that meat and dairy alternatives will be worth 7.5 billion euros in Europe, up from 4.4 billion euros in 2019.
Businesses can maximise plant-based sales throughout BBQ season by increasing plant-based product availability and visibility in the lead-up to BBQ season; refining product merchandising techniques and the location of products in retail settings will also be vital. ProVeg recommends utilising an integrated-segregated approach for the location of plant-based meat products.
Head over to the New Food Hub and read the full article to learn more about seasonal strategy and ProVeg’s recommendations for driving sales. Get in touch with ProVeg at [email protected].
