The primary motivation for reducing meat consumption in Europe in health contexts has been reported by a broad audience, with 47 percent highlighting health benefits as a key factor. Environmental concerns have also driven choices, especially among respondents in Romania and Italy, at 29 percent, followed by animal welfare concerns prominent in Denmark and the Netherlands at 26 percent and more intensively in Germany and the Netherlands. These patterns come from a recent survey that builds on an earlier study titled Plant-based foods in Europe. What consumers want, published in 2021. This new research continues long-running conversations about shifts in EU consumer preferences and behaviors over the past two years.
According to ProVeg International’s update, a leading voice in food awareness, the findings offer a clearer view of the sector’s potential for plant-based options and provide practical guidance to support ongoing growth. The insight is grounded in collaboration among major academic and research partners and reflects a commitment to healthier, more sustainable food choices for the region.
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The trend shows that more people are choosing to reduce their meat intake, a movement policymakers and industry can use to shape decisions about how food is produced and promoted for plant-based options. The emphasis remains on practical steps that can help consumers integrate meat-reduction into daily life.
The survey is the product of collaboration among ProVeg, the University of Copenhagen, and Ghent University. Across ten European countries including Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom, 7,500 participants shared their views on plant-based foods. The questions explored consumption levels, confidence in plant-based products, current eating habits, and the main drivers behind these dietary decisions.
Here are the main results summarized:
• Fifty-one percent of European meat eaters report reducing their annual meat intake, up from forty-six percent in the previous survey.
• Health emerges as the most influential factor behind reducing animal-based foods in several European nations, with forty-seven percent naming health as the leading reason for dietary changes.
• Twenty-seven percent describe themselves as flexitarians, a figure that shows a slight decline from 2021 when it stood at thirty percent.
• Interest in flexible eating crosses age groups, with 29 percent of baby boomers, 27 percent of Generation X, 28 percent of Generation Y, and 26 percent of Generation Z identifying as flexible eaters.
• Seventy-one percent of Europeans report consuming legumes at least occasionally, and 53 percent express a desire to include them more often, making legumes a favored plant-based option.
• On average, 28 percent of Europeans consume at least one plant-based food weekly, a rise from 21 percent in 2021.
• Home availability of vegetable-based alternatives remains strong at 67 percent, while supermarkets continue to be a primary source for plant-based products at 60 percent.
• Confidence in plant-based alternatives increased for 46 percent of Europeans compared with two years prior.
• Sixty-two percent of respondents support tax-free foods that align with environmental and health values.
• A total of 46 percent of Europeans have adopted meat-free lifestyles for more than two years, encompassing flexitarian, vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian choices.
Meat consumption taking a back seat to vegetables was a recurring theme, and the coverage notes that awareness of plant-based nutrition is expanding as part of broader policy discussions.
As outlined in the Farm to Table Strategy, alternative proteins such as plant, microbial, or marine proteins are identified as key research areas for a sustainable, healthy, and inclusive food system. A European Commission policy officer noted that the aim is to promote sustainable food consumption through healthful and environmentally conscious choices, with the Smart Protein project filling knowledge gaps on alternative proteins and contributing to the goals of the European Green Deal.
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Contact details for the environmental department are not included in this publication.