Recent research conducted in the Netherlands by FMCG Gurus is extremely revealing in terms of consumer appetites for plantbased meat alternatives. The study reveals that the top choices for meat alternative products were tofu and mushroom.
The study finds that Dutch consumers want to eat a healthier diet and improve their overall health, and in turn, 75% are looking to reduce meat intake. The new research suggests that 38% associate eating less meat with being healthier. In general, consumers want to reduce their meat intake; meat substitutes are popular choices for three in ten people, but the study group was not satisfied with the variety of flavours and the taste of substitutes.
When it comes to meat substitutes, 61% of consumers want them to be naturally formulated. This is down to the fact that they are reducing meat to become healthier and therefore want healthier meat substitute options. When it comes to flavours, tofu (53%) and mushroom (71%) are the top two flavours which consumers go for when switching to meat alternatives.
Although many consumers were aware of meat alternatives, only 29% of consumers chose to eat them. One of the main reasons for this is 43% say that meat alternatives lack a variety of flavours and 37% say that meat alternatives lack taste.
Consumers who have switched to meat alternatives are turning to products with many different and new ingredients. Three popular ingredients which consumers are seeking out when looking for alternatives are, soy, peas, and plant milk.
When looking for new products when switching from meat to substitutes, consumers are more likely to look at the claim over the price of the product. The study showed that on average, 52% of consumers would now look to the claims over 48% who look at price. Price is still an important factor but claims are now becoming more important for consumers when looking at ingredients for meat substitute products.