Plant-based foods need better prices and shelf visibility, researchers say

Plant-based foods may remain a niche choice unless retailers make them easier to find and keep them affordable, according to researchers Cameron McRae and Laurette Dube. Writing in The Conversation, they said public health and climate goals tied to diet shifts depend less on consumer awareness alone than on the conditions shoppers face in stores.

McRae and Dube said evidence supports moving from animal-based diets toward more plant-based eating for human and environmental health. But they argued that grocery decisions are often shaped by budgets, habits, shelf placement and promotions rather than by information about health or sustainability alone.

Price affects shoppers differently

In one study described by the researchers, they examined grocery store loyalty card data from more than 29,000 consumers in Finland. The analysis compared responses to price changes across plant-based and animal-based foods, including legumes, plant-based beverages, dairy, meat, fish and eggs.

The researchers found that shoppers bought less when prices rose across both plant-based and animal-based categories. They also found that consumers were less responsive to price changes for plant-based proteins than for animal-based proteins, even though the plant-based proteins in the study were more expensive.

McRae and Dube said one possible explanation is that plant-based shelves often offer fewer brands and product options. Shoppers who are vegan, vegetarian or trying to avoid animal products may have fewer substitutes when prices climb, making them less likely to switch away from plant-based products.

The researchers said income and education also influenced how consumers reacted to prices. Lower-income shoppers were generally more price-sensitive, but the difference between lower- and higher-income consumers was larger for animal-based proteins than for plant-based ones.

A related analysis of grocery data from more than 58,000 consumers in Canada pointed in the same direction, according to McRae and Dube. They said the findings show that price policies, discounts and promotions may affect households differently depending on income and product category.

Promotions can change demand

In another study, the researchers examined plant-based beverage purchases at 242 grocery stores in Quebec. They looked at demand linked to flyers, mobile apps and in-store promotions.

Flyer promotions had the strongest effect, according to McRae and Dube. Those promotions reached shoppers before and during store visits through paper flyers, digital flyers and shelf displays.

Mobile promotions also increased demand, especially when they offered bonus loyalty points, the researchers said. In-store promotions had a smaller effect.

McRae and Dube said visibility matters because many shoppers are still building habits around plant-based products. Consumers may be willing to buy those products but overlook them in the store or default to familiar animal-based choices.

The researchers cautioned that frequent discounts can also teach shoppers to wait for lower prices, potentially lifting short-term sales while making regular prices less appealing later. They said retailers should not depend only on temporary markdowns, but should also make plant-based products easier to locate and priced consistently enough for routine shopping.

McRae and Dube said affordability should be central to policies aimed at sustainable eating. Without attention to price and access, they argued, plant-based food shifts risk being limited to consumers who can already afford to change what they buy.

This story draws on original reporting from Phys.org.