European retail sales of meat and dairy alternatives have grown by almost 10% per year between 2010 and 2020.

Much of this achievement can be attributed to the introduction of new products, like plant-based burgers, drinks and ice cream, and the underlying trend among consumers to consider health, animal welfare and sustainability in their decision making. But the rise of plant-based sales is coming from a small base and alternatives represent only 0.7% of the market for meat and 2.5% of the dairy market.

There are regional differences across Europe when it comes to the use of plant-based alternatives, particularly in terms of product range and pricing. The UK is the most-developed market, with retail sales of nearly 1 billion, and is followed by France and Germany. Consumption per capita is highest in the Nordics and the Benelux.