Private labels make plant-based alternatives cheaper

For the first time, plant-based products in Belgian supermarkets are significantly cheaper than their animal-based counterparts. This turning point is due to the rise of private labels.

“Plant-based milk cheaper everywhere”

At five of the seven Belgian supermarket chains, plant-based products are considerably cheaper than animal-based ones. The price differences are particularly striking for plant-based cheese (-26%), minced meat (-20%) and milk (-17%), according to research by ProVeg, the organization that promotes the protein transition in more than 15 countries. “We owe this tipping point mainly to the rise of private labels,” says country co-director Annemarie IJkema of ProVeg Belgium.

On average, a fully plant-based basket is still 5% more expensive than the animal-based one, mainly due to innovations such as fish sticks, chicken pieces, and more expensive types of sandwich fillings. However, a basic basket with four plant-based products available at all retailers (milk, minced meat, yogurt, and meatballs) is on average 2% cheaper than the animal-based version. “Plant-based milk is now the cheapest option at all retailers, which is unprecedented,” says IJkema.

Carrefour is an exception

At Albert Heijn and Delhaize , the plant-based basket is 28% and 26% cheaper, respectively. Shoppers also pay less at Lidl, Colruyt, and Jumbo by avoiding meat and cow’s milk products. Carrefour is the only major exception. Plant-based products are also slightly more expensive at Aldi. The Belgian results are in line with those of ProVeg Germany: there, too, the plant-based shopping basket is 5% cheaper than its animal-based counterpart.

ProVeg visited 22 branches of seven different supermarket chains (together accounting for more than 80% of the market share) in Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, Leuven, and Ypres.

Price difference between plant-based and animal-based basic products