Demand for food substitutes is rising, data reveals

The study by shopping list app Listonic shows meat substitutes ended up in shopping baskets 58% more often than in the same period of 2020.

Among trending meat alternatives were veggie burgers (+74%), tempeh (+54%), and tofu (+47%). In addition, hummus – a plant-based substitute for pâté – has increased by 43% compared to spring 2020.

The research shows customers are also substituting animal protein with plant-based foods like legumes, bran or nuts. Interest increased for groat and rice by 71%, and bran and fibre by 16.6%.

The Listonic analysis also suggests that customers want to reduce calorie intake in their diet and increasingly bought sugar equivalents and sweeteners. In spring 2021, 64% more sugar substitutes were added to British shopping lists than in the same period of 2020. The most popular sugar alternative turned out to be honey (+5%), followed by maple syrup (+54%), and stevia (+19%).

Meanwhile, 34% more vitamin supplements appeared on shopping lists this spring compared to the same period in 2020.