Meat and dairy outweigh their vegan alternatives
10th March 2025
Meat and dairy products were a hit with consumers in the beginning of 2025, while their meat-free equivalents and dairy-free products experienced less demand compared to 2024.
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) reported that while the meat, fish and poultry (MFP) category saw volume growth of 1.4%, meat-free products had their fourth consecutive year of decline.
This was mostly driven by vegetable-based products such as bean burgers, rather than meat imitation products (like Quorn), as vegetable-based saw a -12.4% decline.
This weaker performance is likely due to declining engagement in Veganuary according to Google searches, and only a small proportion of the population taking part, which according to research by AHDB was 5.65% this year.
1.29% of those are vegan all year round, 2.30% managed to complete the Veganuary month and 2.06% did not. Of those who managed to maintain a vegan diet for the entire month of January, 39% stated they are not going to continue with the diet beyond the first month of the year.
Promotions played a big part in performance this January, and according to Kantar, meat-free saw a 9.1% decline in promotions year-on-year, which, along with high inflation, likely contributed to its performance.
While meat imitation products did see spend and volume growth in January, it was the only meat-free category to see both these increases, however, this is not expected to continue, as historically (2021-2024) there has been an average decline in volume of -22.5% from January to February, AHDB confirmed.
Cow’s dairy volumes increased by 6.1% in January and saw volume increases in almost all product categories, while plant-based dairy increased by just 1% and had volume declines in nearly all plant-based dairy categories, including plant-based cheese, spreads, and butter.
Resilient demand for meat and dairy
Hannah McLoughlin, analyst at AHDB, said: “Our data highlights that consumer interest in meat and dairy-free products is not as strong as it was in previous years.
“The demand for meat and dairy remains resilient, with many consumers showing a preference for traditional products over plant-based options.
“This shift in consumption patterns, coupled with fluctuating promotional activity, suggests that the traditional meat and dairy sectors continue to hold their ground in the face of changing dietary trends.
“AHDB continue to promote the benefits of eating meat and dairy year-round, with our ‘Milk Every Moment’, ‘Let’s Eat Balanced’ and ‘Love Pork’ campaigns, focusing on the great taste and health benefits of these products as part of a healthy balanced diet.”
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