Meatless survey finds UK consumers open to hybrid meat when taste and protein deliver

New consumer research from Meatless, a brand of BENEO, has identified taste, price, meat quality and protein content as key factors in convincing UK consumers to buy hybrid meat products, where plant-based ingredients replace part of the meat content.

• Meatless surveyed 3,500 consumers across the UK, Germany and the Netherlands to assess attitudes toward hybrid meat products.
• Six in 10 UK consumers were willing to buy hybrid meat if it tasted good and was offered at an acceptable price.
• Sausages were the preferred hybrid format among UK shoppers, followed by minced meat and hamburger patties.

The survey found that hybrid meat products were gaining traction as a credible option for consumers seeking to reduce meat consumption without compromising on taste, quality or price. Meatless reported that the category was especially relevant for the 4 in 10 UK respondents who identified as flexitarian.

According to the findings, UK purchase intent was driven primarily by taste, quality, price and nutrition. Six in 10 UK consumers indicated they would be willing to buy hybrid meat products if the taste was good and the product was available at an acceptable price.

The research also showed that consumers responded more strongly to positive cues around the meat component than to the plant-based ingredient. A “real meat taste” was identified as a fundamental requirement, while premium meat quality, including premium cuts, certified meat, real taste and texture, contributed strongly to purchase intent.

Nutritional messaging appeared to carry particular weight in the UK compared with Germany and the Netherlands. Meatless reported that “high in protein” ranked among the top three statements driving purchase intent among UK consumers. For Millennials and Gen Z, high protein content was the most influential factor.

Format also mattered. Sausages emerged as the clear favorite among UK shoppers, selected by almost half of respondents, followed by minced meat at 33% and hamburger patties at 15%. When choosing between full-meat and hybrid versions, flexitarian consumers showed a clear preference for hybrid products across all three formats.

“As one of the first suppliers to focus on hybrid solutions, Meatless has long believed in the power of combining meat and plants,” said Niels E. Hower, Managing Director at Meatless. “Our survey confirms that this pragmatic approach of reducing meat by maintaining great taste is key. We are supporting our customers in creating products that fit seamlessly into everyday eating habits and are confident that hybrid will establish itself as a concept that is here to stay, helping to overcome sustainability and availability challenges of the meat category.”

Meatless texturates are made from ingredients including faba bean, rice and mycoproteins. The company reported that the ingredients enable manufacturers to develop hybrid products with a familiar meaty taste and improved juiciness, while supporting a better nutritional profile.

The company also noted that hybrid meat could offer manufacturers a response to rising meat costs. Meatless has developed a cost calculator that manufacturers can use to compare existing recipes with hybrid formulations across costs, CO2 equivalents, saturated fat and energy.