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New analysis of Circana data, by Good Food Institute (GFI) Europe, shows that improvements in affordability and taste boosted the sales volume of plant-based foods in four of the continent’s leading markets in 2025.

Across France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK, plant-based options typically remained more expensive per kg than their animal-based equivalents – however, the price gap narrowed last year.

This was linked to growing sales volumes for plant-based foods in most cases. Across categories, total sales volume grew in France, Germany, Italy and Spain in 2025, while the Netherlands and the UK saw slight declines.

GFI pointed out that the data shows affordability is important in shaping sales performance. In Italy, plant-based meat and milk recorded sales growth while average prices declined slightly. In France, plant-based meat prices dropped and sales volume increased by almost 17%. And in Spain, non-dairy milk is the plant-based category with the smallest price gap, while remaining the largest and most successful category within plant-based more broadly – it accounts for more than one in ten litres of milk sold in Spanish retailers.

The data also shows sales volumes of tofu, tempeh and seitan grew by almost 30% in both Germany and the Netherlands in 2025, aligning with consumer demand for minimally processed plant-based foods.

However, people across all six countries purchased significantly more plant-based meat than tofu, tempeh and seitan combined. This highlights that price alone does not guarantee success – products that replicate the taste, texture or format of traditional meat were found to be reaching a wider audience.

Performance and price parity in alt-milk

Data from the UK further backs up the importance of these sensory qualities, with oat and barista-style milk alternatives performing well in 2025 as consumers seek high-quality taste and performance. Barista-style products now make up a fifth of the range in several markets, the research shows.

Plant-based milk remains the most mature category across all six countries, now accounting for between 7-10% of all milk sold in Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. Almost half of households in Spain, and 38% of households in Germany, purchased plant-based milk in 2025.

Retailer investment in private-label products has helped lower prices – in Germany, for example, private-label plant-based milk is now cheaper than private-label dairy milk. This is despite being taxed at 19%, compared with 7% for dairy milk, GFI highlights. Average plant-based milk prices could be roughly on par with dairy milk if policymakers were to remove the tax disadvantage.

‘Mixed performance’ for meat alternatives

Though the plant-based meat category has faced significant headwinds in recent years, it continues to attract strong consumer interest. In France, it was the fastest-growing category in 2025, with sales volume rising by 16.8% as prices fell.

In Germany and the UK, 31% of households purchased plant-based meat last year. One in five Spanish households did the same, but sales volume fell by 7% in Spain as prices rose, with plant-based meat alternatives costing more than double the price of their conventional counterparts.

The Netherlands saw a similar decline, driven primarily by decreasing sales of higher-priced branded products. Prices also rose in the UK, where alt-meat in supermarkets contracted significantly, excluding discounter stores. Separate NIQ data suggests a shift toward these stores as consumers seek more affordable options.

GFI noted the opportunity presented by these findings – if taste can be improved while prices are brought closer to those of traditional meat, plant-based meat could play a larger role in achieving climate and public health goals, it said.

Investment needed to unlock potential

While consumer interest remains strong across markets, reaching new audiences and transforming interest into regular purchasing habits continues to be a challenge for the sector.

The data shows that most plant-based categories are becoming more affordable, associated with rising sales volume in most cases – however, there are exceptions in which premium products have outperformed cheaper options. This highlights the importance of both taste and price, with consumers unwilling to compromise on either.

GFI has called for further investment in research, innovation and manufacturing capacity to close these gaps. This can include government and industry investments in R&D to improve taste and texture, and building the infrastructure required to scale and cut costs.

Helen Breewood, senior market and consumer insights manager at GFI Europe, said: “Across leading European markets, we’re seeing clear evidence that consumers are interested in plant-based foods, but price and taste continue to shape purchasing decisions. While the price gap with animal products is closing in many categories, affordability alone is not sufficient for growth: a good eating experience is also crucial to reach larger audiences.”