Danish consumers habits and needs regarding plant-based food products

Consumers are increasingly shifting towards a more plant-based diet, giving opportunity for development of new plant-based food products. However, to ensure product success, the food industry must meet the consumers’ needs. Thus, to obtain insights into Danish consumers attitudes, habits and needs towards plant-based food products a comprehensive survey was conducted in 2021 where 1242 consumers (ages 16 to 93) from all regions of Denmark participated.
The motives (selected using CATA) for choosing plant-based products were found to be that it is good for the climate (65%), healthy (62%), good for the environment (60%), and tastes good (59%).
Potential coming users of plant-based meat alternatives (n = 51) indicated (CATA) that they would like to try plant-based versions of meatballs (41%), lunch salads (35%) and ready meals (33%). Regular users of plant-based products (n = 771) indicated (CATA) that they currently purchase plant-based minced (40%), cold cuts (31%), pâté (31%) and ready meals (25%) but that they desire more products within cold cuts (39%), ready meals (38%), cheese (34%) and meatballs (32%).
Meat eaters and flexitarians (n = 717) indicated (CATA) that they mainly consume meat at dinner (61%) and lunch (34%), and scanty at breakfast (3%) or in between meals (2%). Non-meat eaters who miss meat (n = 77) indicated (CATA) that they mostly miss the variety (16%), the taste (15%), that it is easy (14%) and being able to eat the same as meat-eaters (13%).
The survey showed that development of plant-based products should target specific meals. Thus for breakfast, lunch and snacks it makes sense to develop plant-based cold cuts, lunch salads and cheese. For dinner, where meat is particularly difficult to do without, focus should be on meat replacement products, e.g. in the form of plant-based mince, ready-made meatballs or ready meals.