Table of Contents
Executive Summary
-
- The market
- Meat-free market continues impressive growth…
- …fuelled by NPD in response to the growing flexitarian trend
-
- Figure 1: Forecast of UK retail value sales of meat-free foods, 2014-24
- Meat-free growth looks set to continue at a slower pace
- Chilled still dominates but frozen sees faster growth
-
- Figure 2: UK retail value sales of meat-free foods, by segment, 2014-19
- Health concerns remain the key driver for flexitarian trend...
- …but more awareness over environmental issues linked to meat production
- Meat-free foodservice helps to maintain hype around the movement
- Companies and brands
- Own-label continues to dominate the chilled meat-free market
- Quorn sees chilled sales falter, smaller brands do well
-
- Figure 3: Leading brands’ sales and shares in the UK chilled meat-free foods market, by value, 2016/17-2018/19
- Meat-free food launches accelerate
- NPD in frozen meat-free products boosts success overall
- Major supermarkets extend their meat-free ranges
- Adspend on meat-free foods rocketed in 2018
- The consumer
- The UK remains a nation of meat eaters, but meat reduction trend gathers momentum
-
- Figure 4: Consumers’ meat eating habits, 2017-19
- A big rise in usage of meat-free foods, yet usage frequency remains low
-
- Figure 5: Usage frequency for meat-free foods, September 2019
- Health-related factors hold a lot of sway
-
- Figure 6: Meat-free foods buying factors, September 2019
- Eating meat-free foods makes people feel good
-
- Figure 7: Meat-free foods eating and buying behaviours, September 2019
- Meat-free foods face tough competition from other categories
-
- Figure 8: Non-users’ behaviours relating to meat-free foods, September 2019
- Children represent a missed opportunity
-
- Figure 9: Qualities associated with selected types of meat-free foods, September 2019
- What we think
Issues and Insights
-
- Meat-free brands need to work harder on their holistic environmentally friendly credentials
- The facts
- The implications
- Meat-free industry can benefit from widening its target audience
- The facts
- The implications
- Upping their nutritional game would boost meat-free products’ appeal
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
-
- Meat-free market continues impressive growth spurt…
- …fuelled by NPD in response to the growing flexitarian trend
- Meat-free growth looks set to continue, but at a slower pace
- Chilled still dominates but frozen sees faster growth
- Health concerns remain the key driver for flexitarian trend...
- …but more awareness over environmental issues linked to meat production
- Meat-free foodservice helps to maintain hype around the movement
- The ageing population is currently a barrier, but scope to target over-55s
Market Size and Forecast
-
- Growth continues for meat-free foods
-
- Figure 10: UK retail value and volume sales of meat-free foods, 2014-24
- Further value and volume growth predicted over 2019-24
-
- Figure 11: Forecast of UK retail value sales of meat-free foods, 2014-24
- Figure 12: Forecast of UK retail volume sales of meat-free foods, 2014-24
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
-
- Chilled dominates but frozen sees stronger growth
-
- Figure 13: UK retail value and volume sales of meat-free foods, by segment, 2014-19
- Ready meals continue to lead in chilled meat-free foods
- Pastry-based products see values rise but volumes stagnate
-
- Figure 14: UK retail value and volume sales of chilled meat-free foods, by sub-segment, 2017-19
- All sub-segments see value growth within frozen
-
- Figure 15: UK retail value and volume sales of frozen meat-free foods, by sub-segment, 2017-19
Market Drivers
-
- Health concerns continue to encourage ‘flexitarianism’ trend
- Awareness around the environmental impact of meat production looks to be growing
-
- Figure 16: The Fry Family Food Co Rice Protein & Quinoa Stir-Fry Strips
-
- Figure 17: The Meatless Farm Co Meat Free Sausages
- Environmentally friendly packaging is in the limelight
- More foodservice launches help to maintain the buzz around meat-free foods
- Competition growing in the meal box providers category
- Potential for Brexit to benefit the meat-free market
- Meat industry responds to meat-free threat through NPD
- The ageing population is currently a barrier, but scope to target over-55s
- Increase in number of children could benefit meat-free
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
-
- Own-label continues to dominate the chilled meat-free market
- Quorn sees chilled sales falter but still leads frozen meat-free market
- Smaller brands in chilled see sales rise
- Meat substitute launches accelerate
- NPD in frozen meat-free products boosts success overall
- A rise in high/added-protein claims in 2018
- Major supermarkets extend their meat-free ranges
- Adspend on meat-free foods rocketed in 2018
- Meat-free campaigns get bigger and better
Market Share
-
- Own-label continues to dominate the chilled meat-free market
-
- Figure 18: Leading brands’ sales and shares in the UK chilled meat-free foods market, by value and volume, 2016/17-2018/19
- Leading brand Quorn sees sales fall
- Smaller brands see sales rise
-
- Figure 19: Leading manufacturers’ sales and shares in the UK chilled meat-free foods market, by value and volume, 2016/17-2018/19
- Quorn sees steady value growth but own-label challenges in frozen
-
- Figure 20: Leading brands’ sales and shares in the UK frozen meat-free foods market, by value and volume, 2016/17-2018/19
Launch Activity and Innovation
-
- Meat substitute launches accelerate
-
- Figure 21: Share of new launches in the processed meat, poultry, fish, meat substitutes and egg products market, by segment, 2015-19
- Frozen product innovation boosts segment success
-
- Figure 22: New product launches in the UK meat-free foods market, by segment, 2015-19
- Vegan product claims surge in 2019
- Companies focus on ‘plant-based’ rather than ‘vegan’ message
-
- Figure 23: New product launches in the UK meat-free foods market, by top 20 claims, 2015-19 (sorted by 2018)
- A rise in high/added-protein claims in 2018
- Use of pea protein jumps in 2019
-
- Figure 24: Birds Eye Green Cuisine Sausages
- Figure 25: Naturli’s Pea Based Sausages
- Brands associated with meat diversify into meat-free space
- Sainsbury’s launches plant-based tertiary range
- Meat-free innovation gets fishy
-
- Figure 26: Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Fish Products
- Figure 27: Loma Linda Tuno
- Jackfruit jumps in
-
- Figure 28: Retail examples of Jackfruit products
- A flurry of seasonal celebration food launches in meat-free foods
- Major supermarkets extend their meat-free ranges
-
- Figure 29: Share of new launches in the meat substitutes market, by company (sorted by 2018), 2015-19
- Holland & Barrett launches on-the-go lunch range
- Attempts to make vegan “dirty” and edgy
-
- Figure 30: Squeaky Bean 100% dirty vegan No Chicken Nuggets
-
- Figure 31: Oumph! Spiced Kebab
Advertising and Marketing Activity
-
- Adspend on meat-free foods rocketed in 2018
-
- Figure 32: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on meat-free foods, 2015-19
- Huge increase in adspend on Quorn driven by digital advertising
- Quorn unveils ‘Healthy Protein, Healthy Planet’ message in 2019
-
- Figure 33: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on meat-free foods, by advertiser, 2015-19 (sorted by 2018)
- Birds Eye invests £2 million to support its Green Cuisine launch
- Vivera launches the ‘Goodness revolution’ campaign
- Tesco causes controversy with its meat-free Food Love Story
- The Meatless Farm Co secures huge deal with Channel 4
- Linda McCartney Foods spreads kindness message
- Meat-free campaigns and events get bigger and better
-
- Figure 34: Sainsbury’s meat-free butcher pop-up, Bethnal Green, June 2019
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
-
- The UK remains a nation of meat eaters
- The meat reduction trend continues to gather momentum
- Under-45s and parents of under-16s are most likely to have limited/reduced meat intake
- Meat-free foods face tough competition from other categories
- Meat-free products should promote their versatility
- Clean labels can help meat-free foods compete with scratch cooking
- Two thirds of adults eat meat-free foods, up from 50% in 2017…
- …yet usage frequency remains low
- Under-35s and parents are the core users
- Health-related factors hold a lot of sway
- An exciting flavour exerts most influence over purchasing choice
- A third seek out low prices
- Eating meat-free foods makes people feel good
- Children represent a missed opportunity
Meat Eating Habits
-
- The UK remains a nation of meat eaters
-
- Figure 35: Consumers’ meat eating habits, 2017-19
- The meat reduction trend continues to gather momentum
- Under-45s and parents of under-16s are most likely to have limited/reduced meat intake
- A further 13% are interested in making changes in future
- Alternative diets remain niche
-
- Figure 36: Diets followed by non-meat/poultry eaters, September 2019
Usage of Meat-free Foods
-
- Two thirds of adults eat meat-free foods, up from 50% in 2017
-
- Figure 37: Usage of meat-free foods, 2017-19
-
- Figure 38: Usage of meat-free foods, by meat eating habits, September 2019
- Vegetable-based products are most popular
-
- Figure 39: Usage of meat-free foods, by type, 2017-19
- Usage frequency remains low
-
- Figure 40: Usage frequency for meat-free foods, September 2019
- Under-35s and parents are the core users
- One in four eat all six types of meat-free foods
-
- Figure 41: Repertoire of types of meat-free products eaten, September 2019
Meat-free Foods Buying Factors
-
- Health-related factors hold a lot of sway
-
- Figure 42: Meat-free foods buying factors, September 2019
- Low fat content and high protein are on a par
- Low-fat claims warrant more attention
-
- Figure 43: Front-of-pack nutritional claims on Naked Glory’s Meat Free Sausages
- Despite high demand 5-a-day claims are rare
-
- Figure 44: Examples of meat-free foods contributing to consumers’ 5-a-day, 2019
- An exciting flavour exerts most influence over purchasing choice
- A third seek out low prices
Meat-free Foods Eating and Buying Behaviours
-
- Eating meat-free foods makes people feel good
-
- Figure 45: Meat-free foods eating and buying behaviours, September 2019
- Products can benefit from proving they are a good environmental choice
-
- Figure 46: The Meatless Farm Co packaging information relating to carbon footprint
- Figure 47: This is not Chicken Plant-Based Tikka Pieces packaging information relating to carbon footprint
- Environmentally friendly packaging can boost consumer mood
- Environmentally friendly packaging is important to meat-free consumers
-
- Figure 48: 90% Free of Plastic Packaging claim on This Isn’t Chicken Plant-Based Goujons
- Mixed feelings over in-store positioning of meat-free foods
Non-users’ Behaviours Relating to Meat-free Foods
-
- Meat-free foods face tough competition from other categories
-
- Figure 49: Non-users’ behaviours relating to meat-free foods, September 2019
- Meat-free products should promote their versatility
- Clean labels can help meat-free foods compete with scratch cooking
-
- Figure 50: Redesign of Birds Eye Veggie Fingers
- ‘Meat-like’ names hold minimal sway among non-users
Qualities Associated with Selected Types of Meat-free Foods
-
- A need to focus on protein content
-
- Figure 51: Qualities associated with selected types of meat-free foods, September 2019
-
- Figure 52: Sojade So Fingers with Breadcrumbs and Seeds Protein
- Few people deem meat-free foods to be child-friendly…
-
- Figure 53: Products from Ella’s Kitchen Big Kids range
- …representing a missed opportunity
- The appeal of meat-free foods drops among the older generation
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
-
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
-
- Forecast methodology
-
- Figure 54: UK value sales of meat-free foods, best- and worst-case forecast, 2019-24
- Figure 55: UK volume sales of meat-free foods, best- and worst-case forecast, 2019-24
Appendix – Market Share
-
-
- Figure 56: Leading manufacturers’ sales and shares in the UK frozen meat-free foods market, by value and volume, 2016/17-2018/19
-
Appendix – The Consumer
-
-
- Figure 57: Usage of meat-free foods, by type, by meat eating habits, September 2019
-
Back to top