Plant-based food in Germany

Market and consumer insights for food-industry professionals

#SmartProteinEU

Discover new opportunities in Germany’s plant-based food market. What are German consumers’ consumption behaviours and expectations around plant-based food?

Plant-based food in Germany – key highlights:

  • Consumer profile: 10% of German consumers are plant-based eaters (including vegetarians and vegans), making Germany the country with the highest share of plant-based eaters among the European countries analysed. 30% of Germans identify as flexitarian.
  • Consumption of animal-based products: German consumers consume milk the most frequently (35% daily), followed by cheese (24% daily) and yoghurt (21% daily). In terms of meat, poultry is the most consumed (46% at least once a week).
  • Animal-based meat consumption: 51% of German consumers have reduced their meat consumption in the past year, making Germany the country with the second-highest share of meat reducers, after Romania, among the countries analysed.
  • Animal-based dairy consumption: 32% of consumers say that they will consume fewer dairy products (e.g. milk, yoghurt, cheese) in the next six months. The German market for plant-based-dairy products is among the largest and fastest in Europe.
  • Consumption of plant-based products: looking at plant-based food, plant-based milk is the most frequently consumed product (28% at least once a week), followed by plant-based yoghurt (21% at least once a week) and plant-based poultry and beef (20% at least once a week).
  • Plant-based meat consumption: compared to consumers in the other countries analysed, German consumers are the most likely to pay more for plant-based meat than for animal-based meat. 26% are likely to pay a higher price if the plant-based product has the same taste and texture as animal-based meat. German consumers would specifically like to be able to buy plant-based minced meat, burger patties (32%), chicken breasts, and sausages (30%) in supermarkets. The plant-based meat market in Germany is the fastest growing among the European countries analysed.
  • Plant-based dairy consumption: in terms of plant-based cheese, German consumers would especially like to see plant-based cream cheese (32%), sliced cheese (32%), and plant-based mozzarella (31%) available in supermarkets. The market for plant-based dairy products in Germany is one of the largest and fastest growing in Europe. Plant-based milk is the largest segment in the German plant-based food market.
  • Plant-based fish: German consumers specifically wish they could buy more plant-based fish sticks (27%) and smoked salmon (22%). Sales value for plant-based fish increased by 623% over the two periods.
  •  

  • Preferred ingredients for plant-based foods: potatoes (40%), rice (37%), and lentils (33%) are Germans’ favourite core ingredients in plant-based foods.

To learn more, download the report ‘Plant-based food in Germany for free here.