Plant-based food has been a big growth category in recent years, however, there’s evidence the category is struggling to maintain this trajectory amid the cost-of-living crisis.
Data from NIQ found that 73% of vegan shoppers actively trying to make savings on their grocery bills and, according to the retail analysts, meat alternatives still costs significantly more than standard food ranges.
As a result, some have reduced the number of products in their plant-based ranges, while others have removed items from production entirely.
We take a look into the brands that have cut some of their vegan options.
Nestlé
Earlier this year, Nestlé pulled its meat-free brand Garden Gourmet and pea-based milk alternative brand, Wunda from retail in the UK and Ireland.
The move came as the food conglomerate looked to focus on its core portfolio as the brands were “not viable” in current market conditions.
Products from both Garden Gourmet and Wunda will begin disappearing from shelves during the second quarter of this year.
While Garden Gourmet will continue to be sold in foodservice in the UK and Ireland, it saw sales of just £2.2 million in 2022.
Oatly
In 2019, plant-based food company Oatly tapped into the vegan ice cream category with chocolate, salted caramel, chocolate fudge, strawberry, vanilla and hazelnut flavours.
However, Oatly confirmed last week that its 500ml tubs will soon be withdrawn from the UK market.
“Given a number of our plant-based friends are doing great work on this shelf already, we made the decision to move away from ice-cream tubs in the UK for now,” an Oatly spokesperson told The Guardian.
Innocent Drinks
Last month, Innocent Drinks decided to ditch its vegan range of fruit smoothies following poor sales.
An Innocent spokesperson said that it was no longer continuing with its hazelnut, coconut and almond flavours as it instead looked to focus on its fruit and vegetable juices and smoothies.
NUTTERLY DISAPPOINTING NEWS
We're sad to say that our dairy free range will be leaving shelves in the next few weeks.We know some of you really love our coconut, hazelnut and almond drinks, so we wanted to say a big thanks for buying them. We really appreciate all five of you. pic.twitter.com/MGE3Vz2JrR
— innocent drinks (@innocent) March 21, 2023
However, some shoppers expressed their upset on social media.
Nooooooo. I buy 9 bottles a week. Surely that alone is enough … no? Nutterly disappointing – yours is the best!
— Rebecca Wilson (@oooo3oooo) March 22, 2023
Innocent told the Daily Mail that it is “working on some tasty new recipes which include dairy alternative ingredients”.
Heck
Sausage company Heck has reduced its meat-free range from 10 products to two following a lack of consumer demand.
The brand will continue to produce plant-based burgers as well as vegan chipolatas, of which it makes 90,000 per day.
Heck co-founder Jamie Keeble told the BBC he expects demand for meat-free alternatives will return, despite many large players in the category having suffered poor sales last year.
Baileys
In 2017, Baileys launched a dairy-free, gluten-free almond alternative to its original Irish Cream liqueur.
However by the autumn of 2021 the product appeared to have been discontinued, according to reporting by The Goodness Project.
Originally able to be purchased via the Baileys website, Amazon, Ocado and Asda, it is now no longer available online or in-stores.
