Consumers are shopping for plant-based foods across the entire store. With plant-based options available in over 30 different categories, consumers are focused on variety to incorporate plant-based foods at all meal occasions.
As the Plant Based Foods Association’s 2021 US retail sales data for the plant-based industry showed, 62% of American households are purchasing plant-based foods with a 79% repeat rate, growing each year. This signals to retailers that making it easy for shoppers to find the plant-based items they’re looking for is more important than ever. Plant-based meat sales increased by 23% when they are sold alongside animal-based meat. Integrated merchandising speaks to the fact that plant-based foods are for everyone.
”We are seeing expansion into many different types of plant-based meats as well such as chicken, pork, and seafood in many forms that consumers are familiar with such as nuggets, slices, filets,” Julie Emmett, senior director of Marketplace Development at the Plant Based Foods Association said.
”One big trend we’re seeing is the rise of the Millennial and Gen Z shopper,” she adds. ”These younger shoppers now make up 47% of the U.S. population and their primary motivation for purchasing plant-based foods is an interest in having a positive impact on the planet. There is strong interest in foods that are healthy and taste good but also align with their values, meeting expectations for sustainability and social justice.”