Vegetable alternatives appeal to Italians

From an analysis by the Gfk Consumer Panel, a growing interest in plant-based food products has emerged, in terms of both purchases and consumption.

If possible to define as a category, that of plant-based foods are substitutes for meat, fish , milk and any other products of animal origin. Given the growing interest in these products, the GfK Consumer Panel conducted research on Italian households to investigate further trends in attitudes in consumption and purchasing.

The analysis showed that over the last year the plant-based market has grown considerably with more than half of Italian families purchasing the category frequently ie around 10 times a year.

Purchases of plant-based products, often driven by consumer health needs (rewarding above all organic and free from products) are no longer an exclusive choice for vegetarians, vegans or meat reducers in general but a real alternative to more traditional food for all family members. In fact, 40% of families surveyed do not have specific dietary needs yet they are nevertheless responsible for 27% of purchases in terms of volume of total plant based. In this category, the richness of the range is relevant for consumers who seek innovation, so much so that in the last 2 years purchases of these types of products have grown by 11%.

The survey was conducted on almost 13,000 families and results indicate that whereas in 2019 48% of families bought such products, in 2021 this has risen to almost 55%.

As for meat substitutes, over 850,000 families confirmed purchasing them in 2021, mainly families with a younger profile who tend to live in the north of Italy, in large cities and with a higher socio-economic profile.
In plant-based gastronomy, the two main segments are represented by burgers and finger food, which in the last year alone have achieved 2% more penetration. The category certainly deserves more and better space in the stores, given the growth in penetration in all channels, especially in discount stores and online, which have greater growth potential.