Global consumer demand for plant-based products has increased since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new survey conducted by emulsifier and stabilizer company Palsgaard finds.
 
Specifically focusing on plant-based milk alternatives, dairy free yogurts, and frozen desserts, the company found that consumers are mostly happy with existing plant-based products but there are areas where they would like to see improvements, such as less sedimentation in milk alternatives, products with a longer shelf life, and enhanced texture and creaminess, the company reports. Additionally, minimizing water separation in dairy-free yogurts is a key concern for this category among the consumers surveyed.
 
In total, the company surveyed a total of 1,307 consumers from Mexico, France, Russia, the U.S., and Vietnam between September 7 and 14, 2021.
 
44% of consumers reported that they purchased more plant-based products since the onset of the pandemic, while 12% report decreases in their purchases. The remaining 44% said that their purchasing patterns in plant-based remained the same.
 
Most consumers who bought plant-based products (75.4%) said that they did so because they considered them better for their health, with other key drivers being “I like the taste” (51.3%) and buying into the plant-based category out of concerns for the environment and sustainability (45.8%).
 
Younger consumers were most likely to change their purchasing behavior. About half (47.4%) of those between the ages of 18-24, and 48.4% of those 25-34 increased the number of plant-based products they were buying, compared to 34.8% of those aged 55-64.
 
“The onset of COVID-19 appears to have triggered more interest in the market for plant-based food and beverages. This may be because the pandemic has led to a greater focus on health generally, and on the environment. At the same time, the plant-based sector is rapidly evolving, so there are more and more new products out there for consumers to explore,” Haydee Carlos, application manager for Palsgaard, said. “The good news is our survey showed us that overall, consumers are really happy with the plant-based products that are already out there. We were, however, able to identify a few key areas where consumers would like to see improvements, and our white paper explores this in more detail.”
 
Palsgaard will share its latest consumer insights on plant-based eating at Fi Europe’s online event. On November 22 at 10:30 a.m. CET, Palsgaard’s senior marketing specialist Mette Dal Steffensen will present the findings from the survey, highlighting four key areas where consumers would like to see improvements. This will include a live Q&A session, after which the white paper and presentation will be available on demand.
 
“We are delighted to return to Fi Europe to speak to customers about the key findings from our research and how Palsgaard’s emulsifiers and stabilizers can help manufacturers with plant-based product development. The plant-based market is still relatively new, and we know manufacturers are still learning about the challenges in creating alternatives to dairy. Palsgaard can help with these challenges and working with us can also help shorten the product development time.