Room for growth: US and UK vegans and vegetarians dissatisfied with product options, survey reveals

30 Jul 2018 --- Although the growing popularity of plant-based diets has been recognized as a key driver in suppliers’ new product development, almost half of vegans and a quarter of vegetarians are still dissatisfied with the choice of food products available to them, new research has revealed. Commissioned by Ingredient Communications, Surveygoo conducted an online survey of 1,000 consumers (500 each in the UK and US). Overall, 4 percent said they were vegan, although this figure was higher in the US (6 percent) and among 18-24-year olds (13 percent). A further 4 percent were vegetarian, with 3 percent describing themselves as pescatarian.

The survey also suggests that large numbers of consumers are planning major changes to their diets over the coming year. Three in five vegetarians (60 percent) are considering becoming vegan. This trend was considerably higher in the US, where 90 percent said they were considering veganism, as opposed to 33 percent in the UK. More than four in ten meat-eaters (42 percent) intend either to reduce their meat consumption or stop eating meat altogether.

Yet despite vegetarianism and veganism becoming more mainstream, almost half the vegans surveyed (46 percent) said they were dissatisfied with the choice of suitable food and beverage products available to them. Although vegetarians were more likely to be happy, 23 percent said they were dissatisfied with product choices.

Dissatisfaction with product choice was particularly high in the US, where 50 percent of vegans said they were not happy with the options available to them, versus 36 percent in the UK. Similarly, American vegetarians were more likely to be dissatisfied with the range of suitable product options (31 percent) compared to 15 percent in the UK. 

One reason for this could be that American consumers have higher expectations of product availability. 

“The merger of two related tracks are likely to be contributing to these trends,” says Dr. Mark JS Miller, Principal of Kaiviti Consulting. “One is the trend of expected convenience, where I can get what I want when I want it, which has been fueled by the Amazon phenomenon. The other trend is the desire for personalized health choices. Neither trend is likely to abate and so this level of dissatisfaction amongst American vegans and vegetarians is likely to continue until the market is nimble enough to adjust to the demands.”

Growing category
Although there appears room for even more growth in plant-derived ingredients and products, Innova Market Insights reports that plant-based product claims have increased by 62 percent globally (CAGR, 2013-2017) with growth occurring on platforms such as plant proteins, active botanicals, sweeteners, herbs & seasonings and coloring foodstuffs.

Within the plant-based space, Innova Market Insights notes that the global market for dairy alternative drinks is expected to reach US$16.3 billion in 2018, up dramatically from US$7.4 billion in 2010. 

Interest in plant-based eating is also clearly reflected in developments in the meat substitutes market, where global sales are set to grow to US$4.2 billion by 2022. The range of ingredients used for meat substitutes includes vegetables and grains, as well as traditional sources such as soy and specialist manufactured brands such as Quorn and Valess.

Decision factors and flexibility
When asked which factors had influenced respondents to the survey in their decision to switch towards of more plant-based diet, 69 percent of vegans and 64 percent of vegetarians cited animal welfare. The next most common factor was “concerns about my health,” which was chosen by 48 percent of vegans and 54 percent of vegetarians.

Another key finding from the survey was the popularity of new categories, such as pescatarianism. 

“In the past, there was more a less a binary choice between eating meat or not,” says Neil Cary, Managing Director of Surveygoo. “Our research suggests high numbers of people are adopting a more nuanced, flexible approach to their diets and lifestyles.”