The vegan food market - France

1.1 Definition and scope of study

Vegan dishes are essentially food substitutes of plant origin, imitating food products of animal origin. A sub-segment of the food sector, their consumption is mainly motivated by environmental or animal welfare considerations.

Driven by the vegan trend, the market for vegan dishes saw strong growth rates worldwide in 2020, with 27% growth in the USA, 56% in Germany and 39% in the UK compared with 2019.

With 49% of French households including at least one flexitarian in 2021 (an increase of 24 points on 2015), the market for these plant-based protein substitutes holds strong potential for expansion. All the more so as these dishes are considered healthy by 85% of consumers, and 73% of them also consider them to be environmentally friendly.

Following the example of the start-up La Vie, which raised a spectacular €25 million to develop its alternative lardons and bacons by 2022, many players are introducing vegan alternatives. Almost all supermarkets offer vegan alternatives, with French brands such as HappyVore, or vegan viennoiseries from La boulangère. Foreign brands such as Heura, Novish and LoveRaw are also tending to penetrate the French market.

Although the vegan food market only grew by 3.1% in 2021, all the indicators seem to show that this sector can only go from strength to strength. The French people's awareness of the environment, and the various institutional actions taken, are driving the future consumption and further democratization of these products.