A recent report from ProVeg International and Planeatry Alliance says inconsistent in-store activation is preventing UK retailers from unlocking the plant-based food and beverage category’s full commercial potential.

The report, named ‘Blueprint for Plant-Based Commercial Growth: Realising the Commercial Opportunity in Protein Diversification,’ draws on market analysis, store audits across ten UK retailers, product-level data and industry interviews.

It argues that while headlines have focused on slowing meat alternative sales, the broader plant-based sector is ‘entering a new commercial phase,’ with growth opportunities emerging across the category.

However, the report notes that while plant-based products are widely available across UK retail, the supporting infrastructure – such as signposting, shopper communication, meal inspiration and category navigation – often remains underdeveloped.

During store audits, no retailer was found to incorporate plant-based products into wider in-store communications, while execution around fixture signposting and shopper activation varied significantly.

Highlighting a notable opportunity for improvement, even the highest-scoring retailer achieved less than half of the maximum possible activation score.

Joanna Trewern, partnerships director at ProVeg International, said the real opportunity goes beyond putting more products on shelves. “Retailers have largely achieved distribution,” she commented. “The next challenge is helping shoppers discover products, understand how to use them, and buy them again.”

The report also shows significant variation within how well different plant-based segments are performing. While some meat alternative products face pressure, dairy alternatives were shown to be remaining resilient.

Additionally, ‘ingredient-led’ proteins showed strong growth signals – the report highlights year-on-year growth in tofu, tempeh, beans and pulses, driven by consumer interest in protein, fibre, value and recognisable ingredients.

“The lesson for retailers is that plant-based should not be treated as a single category with a single growth strategy,” Trewern said.

Protein diversification is framed as an increasingly important commercial consideration for retailers facing commodity volatility, inflationary pressures, climate-related supply risks and changing consumer preferences.

The report emphasises how a more diversified protein portfolio can support shopper relevance, supply resilience and long-term category growth.

To help retailers move beyond product availability and improve category performance, the report puts forward a five-stage ‘stocked to scaled’ activation framework. Recommendations include improving category navigation, connecting products to meal occasions, strengthening shopper communication, building demand beyond discounting, and embedding protein diversification into wider commercial strategies.

Future growth will depend less on increasing distribution and more on creating the conditions that support discovery, trial, repeat purchase and long-term category confidence, the report concludes.