2022 Plant-Forward Opportunity

A 2022 Datassential Plant-Forward Opportunity report, conducted in partnership with The Culinary Institute of America, Food for Climate League, and the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative.

Looks at plant-forward eating through the exploration of sentiments and behaviors concerning plant-based foods, plant-forward menus, sustainability, health, and more.

Some data points:

• More than 1 in 5 (21%) of the 1,500 US consumers surveyed said they are looking to reduce their meat consumption – up from 15% who said the same last year, according to the report.
•  57% of consumers want to increase their fruit and vegetable intake
• About a third of those surveyed want to increase their consumption of meat or egg substitutes or other plant-based proteins
• Choosing plant-based foods is a long-term health strategy
  • The main health benefit consumers seek from plant-based foods and beverages is digestive health; 39% of respondents said they seek out plant-based options for this reason
  • Protection from long term disease is a key value for 32% of consumers
  • 29% look to plant-based foods for weight loss
• Consumers connect food choices to climate concerns
  • More than half (55%) of consumers overall view the issue of climate change as extremely or very important, while those who limit their meat consumption were more likely to list climate change as a major concern
  • 71% of vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian and flexitarian consumers said climate change is an important issue to them
  • 75% respondents who are concerned about climate change said they think the choices they make about what to eat have an impact on the environment, while only 57% of total respondents said the same
  • 66% climate-concerned respondents said plant-based foods are generally better for the environment than animal-based foods, compared to half of overall respondents who said the same
• Flavor and format are key to appeal of plant-forward options
  • The factor that most often keeps consumers from choosing plant-based foods is taste. More than half of those surveyed (53%) said taste concerns hold them back from eating plant-based foods at all or more often, while 39% said the same about affordability concerns
  • Rounding out the top five reasons were texture concerns (32%), uncertainty about nutritional value (21%) and uncertainty about how to cook or prepare plant-based foods (19%)
  • 23% of consumers said they are more interested in plant-based or plant-forward choices that emphasize whole, less processed foods, compared to 18% who said they would prefer to be able to order plant-based substitutes that taste just like their favorite burgers and sausages
  • Only 33% of consumers think new meat analogues are healthier than traditional plant-based options like beans and soy products such as tofu
  • Only 21% believe these newer meat analogues are actually a better substitute for animal proteins
• Other points
  • Nearly 6 in 10 consumers (58%) are already choosing environmentally-conscious brands at least occasionally when shopping retail, and 33% said they are open to doing so in the future.
  • 46% said they often or occasionally choose to visit restaurants that care about the environment, and almost as many (44%) said they would be open to dining at climate-conscious restaurants in the future

Download full report.