Plant-based appeals to half of Italy: in 3 years, consumers rise by 10%
Plant-based appeals to half of Italy: in 3 years, consumers rise by 10%
- Information
The love affair between Italian consumers and so-called plant-based products continues: 49,5% of our fellow citizens put plant-based products on the table several times a month.
This is according to a survey carried out by AstraRicerche for Unione italiana food.
In less than 3 years (from 2023 to today), the number of people who are permanently or occasionally vegetarian has recorded growth of 10,6%, consolidating the role of these foods.
Those who eat them do so to vary their diet (41,8% of respondents) or to increase their consumption of plant proteins (18,6%).
Not just vegetarians
It is not only vegans or vegetarians who choose plant-based products, but also those who want to “rethink” their eating habits by increasing their intake of fruit and vegetables.
It is a process of transforming eating habits in line with the indications of the international and national scientific community – explains Unionfood – which encourages people to favour plant proteins, such as pulses, for example, consuming them at least 3-4 times a week, to help reduce the risk of chronic and cardiovascular diseases.
However, Astra notes that only 1 Italian in 4 consumes pulses frequently (more than 4 times a week), while the majority remain below the recommended threshold.
The EU’s contradictions
Reflecting on a widespread trend recommended by experts, it seems at least contradictory that the European Union has recently adopted (read another Distribuzione Moderna article ) legislation blocking the use, for these foods, of words referring to the world of meat, such as buger, steak and meatball.
Not only contradictory, but also pointless, given that according to the research, conducted for the Plant-Based Products Group of Unione Italiana Food, almost 9 Italians out of 10 (89,7%) who buy these products say they know perfectly well what they are putting on the table.
And even when subjected to a visual test, the same consumers correctly identify 100% plant-based foods. In the case of vegan meatballs, for example, only 1 out of 30 (3,4%) believe that they are of animal origin.
For 64,6% of the sample, these products make it possible to eat vegetables even in seasons when finding the corresponding fresh produce is not easy
“The growing attention towards plant-based products is not a passing phenomenon, but a sign of a real transformation in eating habits – stresses Giancarlo Giorgio, president of the Plant-Based Products Group of the association –. All national and international guidelines for a healthy and correct diet encourage people to increase their consumption of vegetables and, in particular, plant proteins. The plant-based choice is reasoned and guided by practical and nutritional motivations, but also ethical ones, or those linked to specific needs such as intolerances”.
Plant-based: healthy for 73%
That is not all. For more than 73% of the subjects interviewed these foods are very or fairly healthy, because they are rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals and proteins, while containing little fat and cholesterol and, almost equally, they represent a valuable aid to proper nutrition (73%). For 66,2% they make it possible to experiment with new flavours, textures and ingredients in the kitchen and are also an excellent solution when there is little time (64,8%), while for 64,6% of the sample they make it possible to eat certain vegetables even in seasons when finding the corresponding fresh produce is not easy.
Those who are more attentive to sustainability in the kitchen, on the other hand, choose them because they are made solely and exclusively with ingredients of plant origin (67,8%), are produced in an environmentally conscious way and have a low impact on the environment (63,4%).
The favourites? They are precisely the infamous burgers, meatballs, sausages and cold cuts (45,3%), together, however, with plant-based drinks (34%) and yoghurts (32,4%).
Methodological note: the AstraRicerche survey for the Plant-Based Products Group of Unione Italiana Food was conducted in December 2025 on a sample of more than 1.000 Italians aged between 18 and 65 years.
Other articles:
DMM, Fresh Produce Special 2026
This article was translated from the original Italian version with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In case of discrepancies, please refer to the original Italian version.
