Focus On Vegetarian Meat Alternatives
The market for vegetarian goods is experiencing growth in the United Kingdom, with a more than 16% increase in the frozen/chilled sector in 2002, in particular. Meat reducers, innovations with universal meals, and ready meals are contributing to growth in the vegetarian foods market.
Vegetarian foods are becoming steadily more mainstream, with sales of the frozen and chilled meat free category growing by 16% and 17.5% from 2001 to 2002, respectively. This growth is not attributed to an increase in the number of vegetarians (estimated at 4 million by the Vegetarian Society), but rather to the growing number of people who are interested in reducing meat consumption to achieve a healthier diet.
The number of meat reducers has increased to 46% of the population, according to Haldane Foods which has monitored the market for 20 years through its annual Realeat Survey. According to the 2001 Realeat survey, 52% of respondents expressed concern over BSE, food and mouth disease, cholesterol levels, and heart disease, which are motivating people to reduce meat. Further, the survey shows that 40% of consumers eat meat free products as a family, demonstrating growing acceptability of these products.