Resistance to plant-based foods: the biggest consumer misconceptions

What are the biggest consumer concerns about plant-based foods, and how can we overcome them?

Although consumer demand for plant-based foods is growing, resistance among some consumers remains a significant challenge for businesses. Misconceptions about plant-based products and barriers to purchasing deter consumers from trying them. Understanding and addressing these concerns effectively is key to increasing consumer acceptance and pick-up and purchase rates.

Key resistance areas and misconceptions about plant-based products

1. ‘Plant-based food is boring – lacking taste and texture’

Never underestimate the power of taste. It’s the most crucial factor for flexitarians when choosing plant-based foods¹ and can mean the difference between someone becoming a repeat purchaser or a category-leaver.

Some consumers are hesitant to try plant-based products for fear of poor taste. This misconception can stem from a lack of knowledge or previous sampling, for example, from early iterations of plant-based products, which sometimes failed to mimic the taste and mouth-feel of their animal-based counterparts. 

What your business can do: Food technology has evolved, and new formulations can greatly improve the sensory experience. Constantly work with R&D teams to improve the taste and texture of your products, ensuring high levels of consumer satisfaction. Brands, retailers, and food service venues should also emphasize taste in their marketing and invest in sampling initiatives to dispel these outdated perceptions. You could also partner with food bloggers and influencers to promote the tastiness of your plant-based products and dishes. For example, ask a food blogger to review your newest plant-based dish, emphasizing how tasty it is, or collaborate with an influencer on Instagram who can cook with your products in a delicious meal.

2. ‘Plant-based foods are not as nutritious as their animal-based counterparts’

Consumers often worry that plant-based foods lack essential nutrients like protein, iron, and vitamin B12. However, a plant-based diet can provide an ample supply of all the nutrients needed for optimal health.² 

Likewise, a new ProVeg study has found that plant-based meat alternatives generally have a more beneficial nutritional profile than animal meats, and this could be further improved by reducing their salt content³ (take note plant-based meat-producers!). The report also revealed that plant-based meat alternatives contained less saturated fat and significantly more fiber than their animal-based counterparts, sufficient to qualify them as a source of fiber.⁴

What your business can do: Clear and science-backed nutritional labeling can help educate consumers about the nutritional content of plant-based foods and fortified plant-based products. If you’re in retail, you can also use in-store signage, leaflets, and digital displays to inform and educate your customers about the nutritional benefits of plant-based options. In food service, menus and table display cards can do the same thing! Messaging should highlight protein and fiber content, optimal amino acid profile, and additional fortification with vitamins and minerals.

3. ‘Plant-based products are ultra-processed and contain many artificial or unfamiliar ingredients’

Health is the most important motive for people reducing their meat and dairy consumption.⁵ Unfortunately, the media has fuelled a growing dialog around ultra-processed foods and attached this to plant-based products. With this fire growing, simply claiming a product to be healthy is no longer enough. 

Clean-label concerns are particularly strong in the plant-based meat category, where long ingredient lists and unfamiliar ingredients can lead to consumer distrust. Research shows that flexitarians tend to prefer ingredients they recognize and are familiar with.⁶ Meanwhile, 63% of European consumers want stricter transparency standards for product certifications. This includes certified measurements that identify the origins of the ingredients.

What your business can do: Brands should prioritize and highlight natural, wholefood ingredients and aim for shorter, ‘cleaner’ ingredient lists. And, as above, spotlight the health benefits of your products on packaging and in marketing efforts. You can also opt for the proteins that consumers trust most. Interestingly, the latest Smart Protein Survey discovered that when it comes to plant-based alternatives, flexitarians trust plant-based proteins the most, followed by fungi and algae-based proteins. They also favor familiar ingredients such as potatoes and rice over less-known ones like tapioca, lupines, and amaranth. Using and highlighting familiar, recognizable ingredients and avoiding jargon that may alienate consumers can further increase trust in your products. Transparency is also crucial.

4. ‘Plant-based products are expensive’

Price remains a major barrier, with 38% of European consumers citing cost as a reason for not choosing plant-based alternatives.⁷ While competition in the market and scaling are improving affordability, many flexitarians still believe plant-based food is too expensive. However, recent ProVeg reports have demonstrated that the cost gap between plant-based and animal-based foods in some countries is rapidly narrowing. In German supermarkets, for example, plant-based foods are sometimes cheaper than their animal counterparts – a plant-based shopping basket at Lidl Germany costs €0.61 less than an animal-based one.⁸ Likewise, in the Netherlands, plant-based meat and dairy products can now be up to €0.99 cheaper overall than meat and dairy products in nearly all Dutch supermarkets.⁹

What your business can do: While some products carry a premium price, increased production and economies of scale are helping to close the gap. Brands should work on price parity strategies, introduce budget-friendly options and seasonal discounts, and highlight the long-term health and environmental savings associated with plant-based diets.

5. ‘Plant-based products are only for vegans and vegetarians’

Many consumers mistakenly believe that plant-based foods are exclusively for those following strict vegetarian or vegan diets and, therefore, will not purchase them. Simply labeling ‘vegan’ on plant-based products can be perceived as restrictive and tied to a specific lifestyle instead of an option that anyone can try.¹⁰

What your business can do: When marketing plant-based products, businesses should take a more inclusive approach to include flexitarians as a key target audience. Positioning plant-based foods as part of a balanced diet rather than a strict replacement helps broaden appeal. We recommend using ‘plant-based’ with a V-Label on the back of the pack (find out how to get V-Label certified here), or simply using delicious-sounding product names and descriptions that tell your customers what they are buying. For example, ‘Juicy Texas Soy Burger’ or ‘Creamy Coconut Milk Ice Cream’. For more advice, read our recent article.

Actionable insights

ProVeg International makes the following recommendations for businesses looking to reduce consumer resistance to plant-based foods and increase sales:

1. Increase education and awareness: Providing clear information about nutritional benefits, sourcing, and processing methods can dispel doubts and build consumer trust.
2. Invest in and emphasize taste and sensory appeal: Since taste is the most important factor for flexitarians, investing in taste and texture improvements should be a priority. Taste should also be highlighted on product packaging and marketing efforts.
3. Drive competitive pricing strategies: Pricing remains a major barrier, so brands should work on cost efficiencies to bring plant-based foods closer to price parity with animal-based options. You could also implement introductory offers and limited-time discounts to encourage new customers and attract repeat buys (on your D2C website or by working with your retailer). Read our article for in depth support.
4. Leverage familiar ingredients: Consumers trust plant-based proteins and familiar plant sources. Brands should highlight these ingredients while avoiding overly complex formulations.
5. Retail and food service integration: Making plant-based foods widely available in supermarkets, discount stores, restaurants, and fast-food chains will normalize their consumption.
6. Innovate in fortification and clean labels: Reducing salt content, increasing fortification, and minimizing additives can improve health perceptions and attract health-conscious consumers.

For more support on your alternative protein strategy, contact our ProVeg experts at [email protected] and subscribe to our newsletter and podcast. 

1.  Evolving appetites: an in depth look at Eureopean attitudes to plant-based foods, (2023). Available at: https://proveg.org/report/evolving-appetites-an-in-depth-look-at-european-attitudes-towards-plant-based-eating/.
2.  Plant-based Nutrition | ProVeg International
3.  Building Bridges Between Habit and Health, (2024). Available at https://proveg.org/report/nutritional-assessment-of-plant-based-meat-and-milk-alternatives/
4.  Building Bridges Between Habit and Health, (2024). Available at https://proveg.org/report/nutritional-assessment-of-plant-based-meat-and-milk-alternatives/
5.  Evolving appetites: an in depth look at Eureopean attitudes to plant-based foods, (2023). Available at: https://proveg.org/report/evolving-appetites-an-in-depth-look-at-european-attitudes-towards-plant-based-eating/.
   
6.  What consumers want: a survey on European consumer attitudes towards plant-based foods (2021). Available at www.smartproteinproject.eu.
7.  Evolving appetites: an in depth look at Eureopean attitudes to plant-based foods, (2023). Available at: https://proveg.org/report/evolving-appetites-an-in-depth-look-at-european-attitudes-towards-plant-based-eating/.
8.  https://proveg.com/de/blog/proveg-preisstudie-2024/
9.  https://proveg.org/press-release/plant-based-meat-and-dairy-now-cheaper-overall-than-conventional-meat-and-dairy-in-almost-all-dutch-supermarkets/
10.  https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2018/01/15/Avoid-the-V-word-and-other-tips-to-boost-meat-free-and-dairy-free-sales/