UK Shoppers Shift from Meat Mimics to Beans
UK sales of beans, tofu, and tempeh rose sharply in early 2026 as plant-based meat alternatives fell, suggesting a move toward whole-food proteins.
Sales of beans, pulses, tofu, and tempeh in the UK rose sharply in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period a year earlier. According to NielsenIQ data analyzed by the campaign group Madre Brava, unit sales grew 7.3% and value sales increased 10.1%. Meanwhile, plant-based products designed to imitate meat fell 4.3% in units and 2.7% in value. The figures suggest consumers are reallocating spending within the plant protein category rather than abandoning it.
Whole-food ingredients with higher fibre content saw gains across almost every subcategory. Prices for plant proteins rose 1.6% over the period, which Madre Brava notes is below the 2.9% average food inflation rate it calculated from Office for National Statistics data. This left plant proteins cheaper in real terms and widened the price gap with meat.
Chloe Mackean, Food Business Transformation Manager at The Food Foundation, said the group was not surprised by the rise in bean sales. "Beans are a triple win for health, sustainability and our wallets," she stated. "They are a healthy and affordable protein source, high in fibre and emit far fewer greenhouse gas emissions than animal protein."
Sales figures for key plant proteins
| Product Category | Unit Sales Change | Value Sales Change |
|---|---|---|
| Dried beans, peas & lentils | +16.7% | Not specified |
| Canned and jarred beans | +6.4% | Not specified |
| Tofu | +7.2% | Not specified |
| Tempeh | +71.5% | Not specified |
| Plant-based meat mimics | -4.3% | -2.7% |
Only mycoprotein bucks the meat-mimic decline
Mycoprotein was the sole meat-substitute format to hold its ground. Quorn products, which use mycoprotein, saw unit sales rise 2.4%. Within deli slices, snacking pieces, and bites, mycoprotein sales rose 15.8%. Madre Brava links this result in part to Quorn's 2025 reformulation, which removed several additives in response to consumer debate over ultra-processed foods.
The bean category expanded at both ends of the price scale simultaneously. Chickpeas, butter beans, and mixed beans saw unit prices climb faster than inflation, indicating a shift toward premium products. Conversely, kidney beans, black and white beans, and dried lentils grew as their per-unit prices fell. Butter beans recorded the sharpest volume increase at 30.3%.
According to the briefing, much of the premium growth has been driven by the jarred-bean brand Bold Bean Co, founded in 2021 by Amelia Christie-Miller and Ed Whelpton. The company's success has prompted retailers to develop their own jarred bean ranges. Beth Latham, Head of Category and Strategic Projects at Bold Bean Co, said the canned pulses category is undergoing a transformation. "It was previously a dusty, highly commoditised aisle in the store that lacked innovation," she noted. "However, over the last few years, the premium end of the category has reshaped how consumers think about beans, proving they are delicious and can be the hero of a meal."
Milk holds flat as oat outpaces soya
Plant-based milk sales held broadly flat, edging up 0.02% by unit to maintain a 7% share of the total milk market. Growth was driven by oat milk, which rose 2.7%, offsetting a 9.4% fall in soya milk sales. Plant-based cheese sales declined outside of grated formats.
Baked beans fell 4.2% by unit. A switch from single cans to multipacks narrowed the drop to 1.2% on a per-can basis. The decline was concentrated in products containing processed meat.
The Madre Brava briefing renews a call from several groups, including The Food Foundation, WWF, ProVeg, and the Eating Better alliance, for supermarkets to set targets for plant proteins to reach 30% of protein sales by 2030. Of the 11 major UK retailers, only Lidl GB currently holds such a target.
