Dublin, July 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Europe Plant-Based Meat Market Size and Share Analysis - Growth Trends and Forecast Report 2025-2033" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
The Europe Plant-Based Meat Market was USD 2.47 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to grow to USD 9.54 billion by 2033, at a CAGR of 16.2% over the period from 2025 to 2033. The reason behind this growth is increasing health awareness, the need for sustainable protein options, and changing consumer behavior toward meat substitutes in nations such as Germany, the UK, France, and the Netherlands. 
Plant-based meat is a food product formulated to mimic the flavor, texture, and nutritional characteristics of conventional meat with ingredients based on plant materials like soy, peas, mushrooms, and legumes. Its popularity in Europe has increased dramatically because of increased health awareness, environmental concern, and animal welfare issues.
With more consumers gravitating towards flexitarian, veggie, or vegan diets, plant-based meat has become an accepted mainstream alternative in restaurants and households. The large food chains and fast food outlets are promoting plant-based diets to keep pace with changing customer tastes. Governments also have environmental sustainability and climate objectives that create a push toward meat alternatives.
Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands, among other countries, have shown remarkable growth in plant-based consumerism. Younger consumers, especially, are leading demand as a result of their receptiveness to innovation and ethical consumption. In general, plant-based meat is gaining a strong presence throughout Europe as part of a wider trend towards healthier and more sustainable food consumption.
Growth Drivers in the Europe Plant-Based Meat Market
Increasing Health Awareness and Flexitarian Lifestyle
Europeans are increasingly turning towards flexitarian diets led by health issues like obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and food intolerances. This is fueling the call for plant-based meat alternatives that are seen as healthier, lower-fat, and cholesterol-free. This is something that brands are seizing on through the clean-label and nutrient-dense product positioning.
Consumers in Western Europe, in particular, are taking up this transition as part of a wider wellness trend, driving the plant-based meat market throughout the region. In 2021, A survey by the Smart Protein Project revealed that flexitarians account for 30% of Europe's population, rising to 40% when vegetarians and pescatarians are included. More than a third of consumers are not primarily meat-eaters, and 57% wish to reduce meat in their diets over time.
Sustainability and Environmental Issues
Environmental sustainability is a major driver for the uptake of plant-based meats in Europe. Fears about the carbon footprint of livestock, deforestation, and water consumption have prompted many environmentally aware consumers to cut down on or forego animal meat. Governments and non-governmental organizations are facilitating such shifts through advocacy campaigns and sustainable food programs.
Plant-based meat companies are taking their marketing strategy in line with sustainability stories, winning over a growing number of climate-aware customers in nations such as Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK. The VALPRO Path project, supported by Horizon Europe and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funds, seeks to guide food chain actors towards more sustainable plant protein production for food and feed.
Retail Expansion and Product Innovation
Large retail chains throughout Europe are quickly increasing their plant-based products, launching private labels and collaborating with startups to broaden choice. Textural, taste, and ingredient technology innovations have added to the attractiveness of plant-based meats, replicating animal proteins with close similarities. From soy sausages to pea protein burgers, quality and variety are stimulating repeat buys.
This diversification driven by innovation is propelling broad market uptake, especially in urban areas where demand is picking up speed. Jan 2025, Foodtech venture Project Eaden, which produces ultra-realistic plant-based meat with fiber spinning technology, raised €15 million in an oversubscribed Series A round, taking total funding to €27 million.
Pain points in the Europe Plant-Based Meat Market
High Price Relative to Traditional Meat
Among the major entry impediments of the broader diffusion of plant-based meat in Europe is its unfavorable cost relative to traditional animal-based meat. Albeit increasing enthusiasm, price sensitiveness continues to be a severe issue for a vast majority of consumers.
Plant-based products have been found to involve sophisticated processing, premium-quality raw materials, and R&D expenses - attributes contributing to their upward pressure on retail prices. These make such products less affordable to middle- and lower-class consumers, particularly across Central and Eastern European markets.
Taste and Texture Limitations
While much improvement has taken place, most plant-based meat alternatives continue to lack the precise taste and texture of actual meat. This discourages classic meat consumers from converting entirely. Texture, particularly in steaks or chicken alternatives, is a technical hurdle. Where culinary history runs strong in a region, like in France or Italy, this becomes an even larger obstacle to conquest and repeat buying.
Key Players Analysis: Overviews, Key Persons, Recent Developments, Revenue
- Hormel Foods Corporation
- Beyond Meat Inc.
- Danone S.A.
- Taifun-Tofu GmbH
- Kellanava
- Berief Food GmbH
- Archer Daniels Midland
- Tyson Foods Inc.
Key Attributes:
| Report Attribute | Details |
| No. of Pages | 200 |
| Forecast Period | 2024 - 2033 |
| Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 | $2.47 Billion |
| Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2033 | $9.54 Billion |
| Compound Annual Growth Rate | 16.2% |
| Regions Covered | Europe |
Key Topics Covered:
1. Introduction
2. Research & Methodology
2.1 Data Source
2.1.1 Primary Sources
2.1.2 Secondary Sources
2.2 Research Approach
2.2.1 Top-Down Approach
2.2.2 Bottom-Up Approach
2.3 Forecast Projection Methodology
3. Executive Summary
4. Market Dynamics
4.1 Growth Drivers
4.2 Challenges
5. Europe Plant-Based Meat Market
5.1 Historical Market Trends
5.2 Market Forecast
6. Market Share
6.1 By Source
6.2 By Meat Type
6.3 By Product Type
6.4 By Distribution Channel
6.5 By Storage
6.6 By Countries
7. Source
7.1 Soy
7.2 Pea
7.3 Wheat
7.4 Others
8. Meat Type
8.1 Chicken
8.2 Pork
8.3 Beef
8.4 Fish
8.5 Others
9. Product Type
9.1 Burger and Patties
9.2 Sausages
9.3 Nuggets and Strips
9.4 Ground Meat
9.5 Meatballs
9.6 Others
10. Distribution Channel
10.1 Food Retail
10.2 Food Service
10.3 E-Commerce
11. Storage
11.1 Refrigerated Plant Based Meat
11.2 Frozen Plant Based Meat
11.3 Shelf Stable Plant Based Meat
12. Countries
12.1 France
12.2 Germany
12.3 Italy
12.4 Spain
12.5 United Kingdom
12.6 Belgium
12.7 Netherlands
12.8 Russia
12.9 Poland
12.10 Greece
12.11 Norway
12.12 Romania
12.13 Portugal
12.14 Rest of Europe
13. Porter's Five Forces Analysis
13.1 Bargaining Power of Buyers
13.2 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
13.3 Degree of Rivalry
13.4 Threat of New Entrants
13.5 Threat of Substitutes
14. SWOT Analysis
14.1 Strength
14.2 Weakness
14.3 Opportunity
14.4 Threat
15. Key Players Analysis
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/pwfz65
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