Nearly one-fourth of US consumers report eating plant-based meat, poultry, or seafood products, according to a recent market research report by Packaged Facts which demonstrates that vegan alternatives are no longer niche and are widely available in the mainstream in response to the growing demand.
The online consumer survey, conducted this August, found that 23% of consumers claim to consume one or more varieties of plant-based alternatives and that 37% of consumers who do not eat plant-based meat are open to trying these products.
The report notes, however, that those who purchase alternatives may not become regular buyers if their conditions for trying plant-based meat are not met. In fact, even consumers who already eat plant-based meat products may not do so regularly due to limited product varieties being available or to differences in price.
Jennifer Mapes-Christ, Packaged Facts’ food and beverage publisher, says: “There are opportunities to target this burgeoning minority of consumers, who may be persuaded to use larger volumes of plant-based meat in their diets. The 77% of consumers who do not eat plant-based meat products also suggests that marketers have a lot of room to increase penetration among the population.”
