European consumers are interested in plant-based foods, but price, familiarity and perceptions of processing remain barriers

Madrid, 16 October 2026 - European consumers show considerable interest in plant-based foods, but that interest does not always make it into the shopping basket. Initial findings from a large pan European survey conducted within the EU- and SERI-funded Sustain-a-bite project suggest that affordability, familiarity and perceptions of how food is processed influence whether plant-based foods become part of everyday diets. 

Led by Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH), the study analysed 7,757 valid questionnaires from consumers in Switzerland, Finland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, France, Germany and Türkiye. Respondents across all eight countries showed openness towards plant-based foods. However, in all countries except Türkiye, most said they consumed plant-based alternatives to products such as meat, milk, yoghurt or cheese only rarely — three times a month or less — or never. 

Among the most common reasons were high prices, unfamiliarity with the products, preference for animal-based foods, perceived inferior sensory qualities and the perception that plant-based alternatives are highly processed. More frequent consumers, meanwhile, pointed to health and environmental benefits, pleasant taste and naturalness as reasons for choosing them. 

The findings also suggest that consumers care not only about what a food contains, but how it is made. Across all eight countries, participants expressed more positive attitudes towards natural bioprocessing technologies (e.g fermentation and germination) than towards non-thermal processing technologies (e.g pulsed electric fields, ultrasound and high-pressure processing), highlighting the importance of how processing methods are understood and communicated. 

These results are consistent with an earlier Sustain-a-bite qualitative study in four European countries, recently published in the scientific journal Cleaner and Responsible Consumption. The study found that familiarity, knowledge and perceptions of processing were important factors in consumer acceptance. Participants also showed greater willingness to accept minimally processed plant-based foods perceived as natural, additive-free and competitively priced. 

“Many consumers are already interested in plant-based foods, and we should build on that opportunity. We need high-quality products at competitive prices, but consumers also need easy access to them and communication that responds to their needs. Building familiarity and encouraging repeated consumption will be key to making these products part of everyday eating habits,” says Thomas Brunner, Sustain-a-bite WP4 leader and Professor of Consumer Behavior at BFH. 

For Sustain-a-bite, these consumer insights are already helping to guide the development of new plant-based ingredients, processing solutions and food prototypes, as well as future market introduction activities.  

“These findings give us a clear direction for translating consumer expectations into technological choices. In Sustain-a-bite, we are connecting ingredient development, processing and food design from the outset to develop plant-based foods that combine nutritional quality with sensory appeal and scalability,” says Nesli Sozer, Sustain-a-bite Project Coordinator and Professor at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.

Sustain-a-bite was launched on 1 October 2024 and runs until 31 March 2028. Its mission is to develop innovative, affordable and resource-efficient minimal processing solutions for nutritious plant-based ingredients and foods, combining natural bioprocessing and non-thermal technologies while taking consumer perspectives into account. 

The project brings together 19 beneficiaries and one affiliated entity from across Europe, combining expertise from universities, research and technology organisations, food companies, consumer science and innovation support. Sustain-a-bite has a total EU grant of €4.9 million and is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No. 101180399, with Swiss participation supported through the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). 

For more information, visit https://sustain-a-bite.eu/  or contact Nesli Sözer (Project Coordinator) at [email protected]