Plant-Based Alternatives Are Now Cheaper Than Meat & Dairy Across German Supermarkets

Plant-based alternatives are now more affordable than meat and dairy products across German supermarkets, with a vegan shopping basket being 5% cheaper than one including animal products. This significant shift in pricing has been driven by increased sales of plant-based food and historic lows in consumption of meat and milk. Lidl, in particular, offers the best cost savings with non-dairy and meat-free products being 18% cheaper than their conventional counterparts.

Despite plant-based milk being the only category consistently cheaper than cow's milk, there is still room for improvement in terms of product availability and packaging sizes. ProVeg highlights the need for retailers to communicate the price advantages of plant-based alternatives, increase product availability, introduce larger packs, and optimize nutritional profiles. In addition, they recommend that the German government reduce the VAT on dairy-free milk, support protein diversification and plant protein cultivation, and invest in R&D capabilities to further promote the adoption of plant-based products.