UK | Increasing numbers of plant-based food shoppers have turned to dishes that make veggies the star rather than relying on meat alternatives.
According to retail analysts IRI/Circana, these veg-led foods, as they are known in the industry, represent 40 percent of all plant-based sales at Tesco (data 41 weeks to 12 October 2024 versus last year).
The rise was equivalent to nearly 600,000 veg-led dishes sold by the supermarket this year.
A new supermarket survey revealed that more than 27 percent of respondents would serve or consider prioritising vegetarian or plant-based options as part of their main Christmas fare this year.
As a result of this growing trend, Tesco has focused this Christmas on centrepieces for the big day that makes vegetables the star of the show.
Among the top veg-led centre-piece dishes on sale at Tesco this Christmas are the Finest Roasted Vegetable and Cranberry Star, Finest Butternut Wellington, Finest Chef’s Collection Feta, spinach and celeriac Spanakopita with hot honey drizzle and the Finest Chef’s Collection Handcrafted Winter Vegetable and Three Cheese Pithivier with Salsa Verde.
Tesco Plant-based Product Development Manager Fay Hasnip, who helped create some of the plant-based Christmas range, said that the plant-based revolution was so far the biggest food trend of this century.
Chefs in this space have also been creating and celebrating the diversity and deliciousness of plants, which piqued the interest of curious plant consumers.
“There is a growing appetite from plant-based shoppers to try products that are plant-rich as well as from flexitarians now wanting to take more control over what they eat whilst continuing to reduce their meat intake,” said Hasnip.
“With that in mind, we’ve crafted our finest ever plant-based offering this festive season that we believe will surprise and delight all at the Christmas dinner table.”
Tesco has been committed to expanding its range of ‘plant-rich’ options, introducing new products that help customers incorporate more vegetables into their diets, whether they are vegans, vegetarians, or simply want to reduce the amount of meat they eat.
The Tesco Christmas Report was based on two surveys conducted between the 20th of September and the 7th of October 2024, polling 6375 UK adults aged 18-89 via The Tesco Home Panel.
