Lidl encourages its customers to buy plant-based foods. As a result, sales of vegan products at the German discount chain have increased by more than 30% in the last 6 months.
Lidl announced at a protein transition event in Berlin last week that sales have increased since it created price parity between meat and plant-based alternatives in October 2023. In a bid to encourage shoppers to make plant-based choices, it has started to display vegan products alongside animal-based versions in its stores, Vegconomist reports.
In February 2023, Lidl announced that it would reduce the amount of animal-based products it sells while expanding its vegan range. Lidl spokesman Christoph Graf said:
there is no alternative to feeding within the planet’s limits.
Jan Bock, Procurement Director of Lidl Germany at the protein transition event / Photo: Lidl
Lidl launched its own-brand plant-based Vemondo range across Europe in 2021, which includes ~50 products such as oat bran, pizza, cheese substitutes, tofu and minced meat alternatives. In 2022, Vemondo won the PETA Vegan Food Award for Best Vegan Private Label.
As well as lowering the price of plant-based alternatives, Lidl maintains low prices on fruit and vegetables as part of its healthy eating promise. It aims to increase sales of fresh fruit and vegetables by 35% by 2026.
Change in Germany
Germany is the right place for an event focusing on the transition to sustainable protein sources, attended by politicians, business people and scientists. The country’s newly published dietary guidelines recommend that people should eat at least 75% plant-based.
The German government recently devoted millions of euros to promote the development of plant-based proteins.
Germany has a record low meat-eating rate. Around 10% of people there follow a vegetarian diet. In addition, around 55% of the population identify themselves as “flexitarians”, which means that they already eat mostly plant-based foods.
