Things have changed in supermarkets
Until recently, shopping for plant-based foods often meant making a special trip to a health food store or scouring the limited selection in supermarket speciality sections. Plant-based alternatives to meat, dairy, and seafood were extremely limited, while the prices of such foods could make plant-based eating feel like a luxury.
In the last few years, however, the situation has changed. Supermarkets around the world have been rapidly expanding their plant-based ranges in response to rising consumer demand for sustainable and ethical food choices. By introducing more plant-based alternatives, adjusting pricing strategies, and increasingly presenting these products alongside their conventional counterparts, retailers are making plant-based foods more accessible than ever before. The result is that plant-based eating has become far more appealing, affordable, and accessible, compared to just a few years ago.
This dramatic shift isn’t just about dietary preference – it’s also driven by ethical considerations and environmental impact. More and more consumers are incorporating plant-based foods into their diets without fully giving up animal products – an evolution that supermarkets are increasingly catering to.
So, what exactly are supermarkets doing to make plant-based eating easier?
More choices
Walk into any major supermarket today across a growing number of countries, and you’ll likely find shelves packed with an ever-expanding variety of plant-based options. Whether it’s dairy-free milk, plant-based meat alternatives, or high-protein foods such as tofu or fava beans, the selection is bigger than ever.
In the UK, Tesco was one of the first supermarket chains to provide an in-house range of plant-based items. Tesco launched its premium Wicked Kitchen range in 2018, followed by its more affordable Plant Chef range a year later. The chain now offers over 180 own-brand products, from ready meals to pizzas and sandwiches. Tesco has committed to tripling its plant-based sales by 2025, setting a strong precedent for other retailers.
Meanwhile, multinational chains such as Aldi and Lidl are making plant-based eating even more mainstream. Both companies have pledged that 60% of their total protein offerings will be plant-based by 2030. This move reflects a broader shift towards reducing reliance on animal-based products. Dutch supermarket Albert Heijn is also leading the way, with plant-based items already making up over 44% of its protein sales, with a target of 60% in the coming years.
Beyond expanding their product lines, supermarkets are also diversifying the ingredients they use to make plant-based alternatives. The focus is no longer solely on traditional soya-based options such as tofu or veggie mince. Shoppers are seeing a wider range of alternatives, including fava beans, mushrooms, and pea protein. Fermented options are also becoming more common, giving consumers further ways to explore plant-based eating.
More innovation
Another way that supermarkets are keeping up with evolving consumer preferences is by partnering with independent brands. The success of products such as Oato, a fresh oat milk now stocked in over 375 Sainsbury’s stores across the UK, highlights how independent producers are gaining traction in major retailers. Notably, Oato comes in a returnable glass bottle, aligning with growing consumer demand for sustainable packaging.
Innovative brands such as THIS, which produces hyper-realistic meat alternatives, Julienne Bruno, known for its plant-based cheeses, and Bold Bean Co., specialising in premium legumes, are helping supermarkets to expand their plant-based offerings.
Alongside these collaborations, supermarkets are also expanding their own-label plant-based ranges to stay competitive and cater to a wider audience. Tesco, for example, has launched ‘veg-led’ options like miso edamame burgers and ready-to-cook tray bakes, appealing to consumers seeking natural, whole-food-based meals. Meanwhile, Lidl and Aldi are also expanding their own plant-based ranges, making these products more affordable and accessible to the mainstream market.
Making plant-based easier to find
Finding plant-based products in supermarkets is no longer the scavenger hunt it once was. Some retailers are moving away from separate ‘free-from’ aisles, while others are continuing to maintain dedicated sections while also placing plant-based options next to conventional meat and dairy products. This shift not only makes it easier for flexitarian shoppers to purchase plant-based alternatives while browsing their usual sections but also helps plant-based buyers feel included, rather than being confined to speciality aisles.
Tesco was one of the first supermarkets to move plant-based meat alternatives to the meat aisle, a move that has since been replicated by other major retailers. Research from Mintel suggests that 57% of consumers who buy meat alternatives prefer to see them placed next to their conventional meat counterparts rather than in a separate vegan section.
Of course, you can’t please everyone all the time, and while many flexitarians welcome the integration of plant-based products into mainstream aisles, some dedicated vegan shoppers prefer separate sections. Given the constantly evolving nature of consumer preferences, supermarkets continue to experiment with placement strategies in order to strike the right balance.
Better prices
Price has long been one of the key barriers to plant-based eating. This is starting to change, as retailers work to bring costs down and, in some cases, introduce price parity with conventional meat and dairy.
Lidl and Aldi have committed to making plant-based foods more affordable, ensuring they are a core part of their long-term food strategy. In the Netherlands, recent research from ProVeg found that plant-based foods are now cheaper overall than meat and dairy in many supermarkets, with some stores providing savings of up to 20%. Dutch retailer Jumbo has taken this a step further by guaranteeing that its private-label meat substitutes are always priced the same as or lower than conventional meat.
This pricing shift is already having an impact. As plant-based options become more competitive, supermarkets are beginning to see a decline in meat sales, reflecting a gradual shift in consumer purchasing habits. That said, plant-based dairy alternatives, particularly yoghurt and cheese, remain more expensive than their animal-based counterparts – meaning that affordability remains a challenge for supermarkets aiming to expand plant-based sales.
What’s next for plant-based shopping?
As plant-based eating continues to accelerate, supermarkets are investing in more plant-based options. Many are focusing on ‘plant-forward’ and flexitarian-friendly ranges, aligning with consumer habits that incorporate more plant-based foods without necessarily embracing a fully vegan diet.
The market hasn’t settled yet: many shoppers still perceive plant-based products as expensive or overly processed, which means that education and marketing are crucial in encouraging wider adoption. Supermarkets will need to address these concerns as they expand their plant-based offerings, ensuring accessibility, affordability, and clear product information.
As supermarkets continue to grow their plant-based ranges, one thing is clear: the trend is here to stay. Whether you’re fully plant-based, a flexitarian, or just curious, the choices keep growing. Next time you’re in the supermarket, why not explore what’s new? You might just find a new favourite!
Simon Middleton
Senior Writer
