Europeans Interested in Plant Foods, Rarely Eat Them
Most respondents in seven of eight surveyed countries eat plant-based alternatives three times a month or less or never.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Vegetarian
A consumer survey of 7,757 people across eight European countries and Türkiye found that plant-based foods are of growing interest but are rarely eaten. In all countries except Türkiye, most respondents ate plant-based alternatives three times a month or less, or never.
Why it matters
For readers trying to eat more plants, the gap between interest and actual purchase points to practical barriers such as price, unfamiliarity and perceived heavy processing. The findings are expected to shape the development of new plant-based ingredients and food products.
This is a cross-national consumer questionnaire survey covering 7,757 valid responses from eight countries, led by Bern University of Applied Sciences. Most respondents in seven of the eight countries ate plant-based alternatives three times a month or less or never, while Türkiye showed a different pattern.
The players
Bern University of Applied Sciences
A Swiss university that led the Sustain-a-bite survey analysis and conducts applied research in food and nutrition.
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
A Finnish research organization involved in the Sustain-a-bite project's food technology research.
The details
Consumers who rarely eat plant-based foods cited high prices, unfamiliarity with products, a preference for animal-based foods, and perceptions of inferior taste and high processing. Frequent consumers pointed to health benefits, environmental benefits, pleasant taste and perceived naturalness. Across all eight countries, respondents viewed natural bioprocessing technologies more favorably than non-thermal processing technologies, and an earlier qualitative study in four European countries found that familiarity and knowledge of processing shaped acceptance.
Timeline
The Sustain-a-bite project launched on 1 October 2024.
Initial survey findings were released from Madrid on 16 October 2026.
The Sustain-a-bite project is scheduled to end on 31 March 2028.
Health Landscape
The survey places consumer behavior at the center of plant-based food adoption, a question that European research funding is directly targeting through projects like Sustain-a-bite. Its findings point to a gap between the health and environmental appeal of plant-based foods and the practical barriers that keep most people from eating them regularly.
If you eat plant-based foods only occasionally, the survey suggests price, unfamiliarity and concerns about processing are common reasons, and you may find it useful to ask your doctor or a registered dietitian how to build plant foods into your diet in a way that fits your needs. Those who already eat them often cite health benefits and taste, which are worth discussing with a clinician if you are changing your diet.
The takeaway
Interest in plant-based foods is common, but frequent consumption remains uncommon across much of Europe, largely because of price, familiarity and perceived processing. If you are working to eat more plant foods, ask your doctor or a dietitian which options fit your health needs.
What happens next
The Sustain-a-bite project is scheduled to end on 31 March 2028, when its planned new plant-based ingredients, processing solutions and food prototypes are expected to be further developed.
Further reading
For more on eating patterns built around plants, explore our Vegetarian coverage.
More information
Learn more about the research on the Sustain-a-bite project website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by VTT.
