Nils-Gerrit Wunsch
Research expert covering food & agriculture in the UK & Europe
Get in touch with us nowMeat substitutes market size in selected countries in Europe 2019/2020
Between October 2020 and September of 2021, the United Kingdom was Europe's leading meat substitutes market, with sales of over 502 million euros. The market size of Germany was roughly 357 million euros. By comparison, sales of meat substitutes in Romania reached around five million euros.
Meat substitute market in Europe
Meat substitutes are vegetarian alternatives that typically approximate certain aesthetic qualities (such as texture, flavor, appearance) or chemical characteristics of specific types of meat. Many substitutes are soy-based (e.g., tofu, tempeh) or grain-based but may also be made from peas or other plant-based sources. While the UK market is bigger, the German market has been growing faster. The sales of plant-based meat products in Germany increased by nearly 76 percent in 2020, while those in the UK increased by approximately 36 percent.
Vegetarianism in Europe
The largest share of non-meat eaters in Europe can be found in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland, with approximately 15 percent of the population, respectively. Eastern European countries have the lowest share, with shares ranging between five and seven percent. In 2021, the main reason for vegetarianism among women in Germany was "animal well-being", while men favored "sustainability." In Belgium, nearly 25 percent of respondents stated that they consume meat substitutes about once a week or more often.
Meat substitute market in Europe
Meat substitutes are vegetarian alternatives that typically approximate certain aesthetic qualities (such as texture, flavor, appearance) or chemical characteristics of specific types of meat. Many substitutes are soy-based (e.g., tofu, tempeh) or grain-based but may also be made from peas or other plant-based sources. While the UK market is bigger, the German market has been growing faster. The sales of plant-based meat products in Germany increased by nearly 76 percent in 2020, while those in the UK increased by approximately 36 percent.
Vegetarianism in Europe
The largest share of non-meat eaters in Europe can be found in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland, with approximately 15 percent of the population, respectively. Eastern European countries have the lowest share, with shares ranging between five and seven percent. In 2021, the main reason for vegetarianism among women in Germany was "animal well-being", while men favored "sustainability." In Belgium, nearly 25 percent of respondents stated that they consume meat substitutes about once a week or more often.
