Sustain-a-bite survey exposes gap between plant-based interest and everyday purchases

European consumers are open to plant-based foods, but high prices, unfamiliarity and concerns about processing continue to hold back regular consumption, according to initial findings from a Sustain-a-bite survey of 7,757 people across eight countries.

• Researchers analyzed 7,757 questionnaires across eight countries.
• Price, familiarity and sensory expectations limited regular consumption.
• Fermentation and germination attracted more positive attitudes than non-thermal technologies.

Led by Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH), the research examined responses from consumers in Switzerland, Finland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, France, Germany and Türkiye. It found interest in plant-based foods in every country, alongside obstacles to making alternatives part of everyday meals.

In all countries except Türkiye, most respondents said they consumed plant-based alternatives to products such as meat, milk, yogurt or cheese rarely, defined as three times a month or less, or never.

The findings concern alternatives to animal-based products, rather than consumption of all plant foods. The pattern also differed between countries, with Türkiye the exception to the predominantly low-frequency consumption reported elsewhere.

Among the most common reasons for limited consumption were high prices, unfamiliarity, a preference for animal-based foods, perceived inferior sensory qualities and the perception that plant-based alternatives are highly processed.

More frequent consumers described a different set of associations. They cited health and environmental benefits, pleasant taste and naturalness among their reasons for choosing the products.

“Many consumers are already interested in plant-based foods, and we should build on that opportunity. We need high-quality products at competitive prices, but consumers also need easy access to them and communication that responds to their needs. Building familiarity and encouraging repeated consumption will be key to making these products part of everyday eating habits,” says Thomas Brunner, Sustain-a-bite WP4 leader and Professor of Consumer Behavior at BFH.

The survey also examined attitudes toward the technologies used to make foods. Across all eight countries, respondents expressed more positive attitudes toward natural bioprocessing methods, such as fermentation and germination, than toward non-thermal technologies.

The latter group included pulsed electric fields, ultrasound and high-pressure processing. Sustain-a-bite is investigating both natural bioprocessing and non-thermal approaches as part of its work on minimally processed plant-based ingredients and foods.

The difference in attitudes points to a communication challenge for developers. Consumers may respond differently to processing methods depending on their familiarity with them, even when those methods form part of the same product development program.

The reported attitudes do not establish that one technology produces healthier or more sustainable food than another. They describe consumer perceptions, which the project is taking into account alongside nutritional quality, sensory performance and processing requirements.

The quantitative findings are consistent with an earlier Sustain-a-bite qualitative study conducted in four European countries and published in Cleaner and Responsible Consumption.

That research identified familiarity, knowledge and perceptions of processing as important factors in acceptance. Participants showed greater willingness to accept minimally processed plant-based foods they perceived as natural, additive-free and competitively priced.

Together, the studies give the project information about both consumers’ expectations of the finished food and their understanding of how it is produced. Those insights are already informing ingredient development, processing solutions, food prototypes and future market introduction activities.

“These findings give us a clear direction for translating consumer expectations into technological choices. In Sustain-a-bite, we are connecting ingredient development, processing and food design from the outset to develop plant-based foods that combine nutritional quality with sensory appeal and scalability,” says Nesli Sozer, Sustain-a-bite Project Coordinator and Professor at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.

The project’s development work therefore spans several requirements identified in the consumer research: affordability, an appealing eating experience and processing approaches that consumers understand and accept. The initial survey announcement did not provide country-by-country percentages for the individual barriers.

Sustain-a-bite launched on October 1, 2024, and runs until March 31, 2028. Its remit is to develop affordable, resource-efficient minimal processing solutions for nutritious plant-based ingredients and foods, combining natural bioprocessing with non-thermal technologies.

The consortium comprises 19 beneficiaries and one affiliated entity, bringing together universities, research and technology organizations, food companies, consumer scientists and innovation support organizations.

The project has a €4.9 million (US$5.5 million) EU grant under Horizon Europe, with Swiss participation supported through the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation.

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