The UK market for vegetarian foods grew by around 15 per cent year in value terms from 1999 to 2002, but 2003 saw a fall in growth from 16.6 per cent to 7.9 per cent as consumer confidence in meat products improved, according to a new report from Research and Markets.
Despite the likely decline in growth this year, the vegetarian food market remains buoyant, with sales increases in excess of many other food sectors. The report, Vegetarian Foods Market Assessment 2003, shows that this continued growth in vegetarian food purchases has come not from 'true' vegetarians but rather from a higher number of meat reducers and red-meat avoiders.
As consumers return to these meat products after years of food-related scares, growth will inevitably slow, but the range of products available to non-meat eaters means that interest in this sector will remain high. Vegetable-based versions of meat and fish products, such as vegetable fingers and grills, as well as soya- and texturised vegetable protein- (TVP) based items and those made from the fermentation product Quorn have all grown steadily in popularity, becoming increasingly part of consumers' everyday food purchases.
The move to vegetarian foods has been chiefly driven by health and ethical issues, Research and Markets said. The government and other bodies have been advising the public for many years of the need for a balanced, lower-fat and higher-fibre diet, exemplified, in part, by vegetarianism. The consequent reduction in red-meat eating over recent years has been accelerated by the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in beef issue. This threat was at its peak in 1997/1998, but confidence in the beef market had significantly returned by 2001, when the foot-and-mouth crisis struck.
Various campaigning bodies are still active in bringing to the public's notice the ethical issue of animal cruelty and the environmental problems resulting from animal farming. These are more often cited by true vegetarians as reasons for vegetarianism.
The four largest segments of the chilled vegetarian foods market are pastry products, ready meals, potato-based products and snacks/accompaniments. Others are meal centres, sausages/burgers/grills, delicatessen products and ingredients. The chilled market is predominantly held by retailer own-label products. The largest segment in the frozen sector is recipe dishes, with other segments being grills, minces and pieces, burgers, sausages, pastry products and snacks/accompaniments, etc. The frozen market is dominated by brands.