Lidl is making strides in promoting plant-based options by strategically placing plant based meat products alongside traditional meat in their stores.
Lidl Netherlands conducted a pilot study across 70 stores in collaboration with Wageningen University and the World Resources Institute. Over six months, this study carefully monitored how consumers reacted to finding plant-based alternatives right next to conventional meats. The results were clear and promising: a 7% increase in the sales of vegan products.
Chantal Goenee, Lidl Netherlands’ sustainability and health advisor, emphasized the initiative’s rationale: “We know from the research that the visibility of our meat substitutes is crucial in the customer’s choice to purchase or try a meat substitute. We plan to focus even more on this in our future store layouts and marketing efforts.”
The feedback from customers was overwhelmingly positive. The convenience of having meat alternatives next to traditional meat made it easier for shoppers to consider and ultimately purchase these products. Recognizing the demand for larger quantities and better quality in plant-based options, Lidl responded swiftly. “We immediately put this into practice. The large packages are now in all our 440 stores,” Goenee added, underlining Lidl’s quick adaptation to customer feedback.
A 2020 trial by US retailer Kroger and the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) revealed that when sold in the meat aisle, plant-based analogue sales rose by 23%, with one consumer explaining that their first thought is that these products will be in the meat section, while another said it makes buying vegan a lot easier.
And in 2021, a UK-wide report by the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) found that 57% of respondents strongly agreed that moving plant-based products into the meat aisle would make it easier for them to follow healthier and more sustainable diets.
Lidl’s commitment extends beyond strategic placement. The supermarket chain is dedicated to improving the taste and health benefits of its plant-based products, responding to consumer data that highlights taste and health as pivotal factors in the shift towards plant-based diets. An EU-wide survey last year found that taste is the most influential factor driving people to eat plant-based, with 59% citing it, while 45% are reducing meat intake primarily for health reasons.
Equally impactful has been Lidl’s decision to create price parity between plant-based products and their meat counterparts. This bold move, first implemented in Germany, led to an impressive 30% increase in vegan product sales in just six months. Christoph Graf, Lidl Germany’s head of merchandising, emphasized that this strategy not only invites customers to try plant-based alternatives but also removes price as a barrier, encouraging a dietary transition in economically challenging times.
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