Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
Plant-based food sales hit a record level in Europe in 2022, with revenue increasing by a fifth since 2020, according to reports by the news site and the Brussels Times. In Belgium, the market has been flat. According to what was reported today, Tuesday, by the Belgian news agency
Last year, plant-based foods set a new record by generating €5.7 billion in revenue - a growth of 22 percent compared to 2020, according to an analysis by the non-profit Good Food Institute (GFI) in Europe based on sales in 13 countries. nation.
"These figures show that Europe's appetite for plant-based foods continues to grow," says Carlotte Lucas, senior director of corporate engagement at GFI Europe. Milk, meat and cheese are the foods that Europeans exchange the most for animal-friendly alternatives.
The economic situation in 2022 played a role, as many plant products were less affected by inflation in Europe over the past year.
"Europe's appetite for plant-based food is growing"
Sales of vegan alternatives to meat or dairy products have increased rapidly in Germany, Austria and Denmark. But the Belgian vegetarian food retail market remained flat between 2020 and 2022, growing by 0.5 percent to 163.5 million euros.
Vegan milk is the most developed category of plant-based products in Belgium, but sales have fallen since 2020. The exception was oat milk, whose sales value increased by 86 percent.
Across Europe, vegetarian seafood is one of the least developed categories, but in Belgium it is the fastest growing, up 37 percent since 2020.