Plant-based slows, but retail holds clear growth potential

Why Retail Remains a Key Opportunity for Plant-Based Brands Despite Slowing Category Growth

After several years of strong growth, the development of plant-based drinks has begun to level off in Sweden. Sales are stabilising and, in some cases, slightly declining. However, consumer interest has not disappeared. It has simply changed.

What was once driven by trends and curiosity is now becoming more routine. Many consumers remain positive toward plant-based products, and a significant share of those who previously left the category are open to returning. This indicates that the long-term potential remains, but future growth will require a different approach.

The main barriers are not lack of interest, but uncertainty around taste, price, and product relevance. Plant-based options are still often linked to specific lifestyles rather than everyday use. At the same time, many consumers remain curious but have not yet made the category part of their regular shopping habits—this gap represents the next growth opportunity.

For retailers, this means shifting focus from assortment size to everyday relevance. Growth will depend on making plant-based products feel natural in daily routines such as in morning coffee, breakfast, or everyday cooking. When products perform as reliably as traditional alternatives, the likelihood of both trial and repeat purchase increases.

For retailers, this means moving beyond simply offering a wide assortment.

Growth will depend on how clearly products are connected to daily routines. Simple actions such as placing barista-style drinks next to coffee solutions, presenting plant-based yogurt as part of breakfast occasions, or highlighting cooking products in recipe-based displays could lower the barrier to trial and encourage repeat purchases.
Foodservice also plays an important role. Many consumers first experience plant-based options in cafés or restaurants, where they try oat drinks in coffee or plant-based alternatives in prepared dishes. These experiences often influence later purchasing decisions in retail.

Ultimately, the category is not losing relevance—it is entering a new phase. The retailers and operators who succeed will be those who make plant-based products simple, practical, and clearly useful in everyday life.

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