T. Ozbun
Research expert covering food retail and all food topics for Italy and Brazil
Get in touch with us nowPlant-based market
The global plant-based food market has reached a value of 35.6 billion U.S. dollars and is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. Despite its still relatively small size, the market for plant-based products in food retail in Italy was worth 458 million euros, a remarkable growth from the figures registered two years earlier. However, among the plant-based categories, only plant-based beverages appear to have increased in sales during this period, with soy-based drinks generating the largest share. Plant-based meat, cheese, and yogurt showed negative trends, while plant-based ice cream, although minimal, showed slight growth.Vegetarianism and Veganism
The number of vegetarians and vegans in Italy has shown some fluctuations in recent years, reaching 5.4 percent and 1.3 percent of individuals, respectively. However, the percentages of those choosing these two diets differed among the various demographic groups. Vegetarianism and veganism were more prevalent among young people, while in terms of gender, female vegetarians and male vegans outnumbered their counterparts.Consumer behavior
The motivations behind the choice of plant-based products among Italians showed that there were not only those who seemed to buy them for ethical or environmental reasons, but also those who wanted to eat them for their taste or to be healthy. Although classic fruits, vegetables and pulses remained as the top preferences in terms of frequency of consumption of plant-based foods, plant-based milk and beef were among the most popular plant-based products, surpassing even a recently popular food such as quinoa. In fact, a substantial percentage of consumers were likely to regularly purchase plant-based meat and cheese rather than conventional ones, signaling a growth in purchasing behavior for plant-based foods.
