While a majority of Spaniards are reducing meat or open to doing so, the plant-based industry needs a “level playing field” to help them shift their eating habits.
Meat is becoming unfashionable in Spain, but plant-based alternatives need a policy boost to step up for mass adoption.
A growing share of citizens are looking to improve their diets and eat in a healthier and more balanced manner, which has led 80% of them to lower their meat intake or be open to that change, according to a new survey covering over 2,000 consumers.
Conducted by More in Common on behalf of the Federation of Consumers and Users (CECU), the survey found that 35% have already cut back on chorizo, jamón, sobrasada, and the like, while 22% have thought about doing so, and 23% are willing to consider it.
This is despite two in five Spaniards (39%) increasing their protein intake last year. In fact, 35% of consumers upped their consumption of the nutrient through plant-based food. And in both cases, the survey found these trends resonated most with people under 40, those who exercise regularly, and those interested in healthy nutrition.
That said, people over 64 (48%) are more likely to say they’re shying away from meat than Gen Z (20%). So why are young people less willing to cut back? “Many would be willing if they understood why, it’s better for them and knew great alternatives exist,” argues Bernat Añaños, co-founder of Heura Foods, Spain’s leading meat-free brand.
“Most people care about the planet, animals, and their health, but many don’t think these options are accessible, tasty, or affordable, [so] the switch feels out of reach. We need to inspire, not guilt-trip,” he tells Green Queen.
Many Spaniards find it hard to transition to a plant-based diet
Most of the respondents (95%) said they eat everything, while only 3% were vegetarian or vegan, consistent with most countries globally. For over half of Spain’s population, eating a variety of foods and staying healthy are the most important dietary drivers.
Moreover, health is the main motivation behind eating less meat, as cited by 42% of people who have already cut back. A third of them were also influenced by livestock’s impact on the planet.
However, the importance of climate drops drastically to 20% among Spaniards who are considering a reduction in meat, with high prices and maintaining physical appearance being more important to this cohort (26%). Still, health remains the most influential factor among prospective meat reducers (41%).
The main drivers of plant-based food, meanwhile, were added micronutrient intake (28%), climate protection (27%), and weight loss (23%). Nearly half of the respondents agreed that vegan diets are better for the planet and their wallets, and 43% said they were healthier.
Among the minority unwilling to lower their animal intake, 42% cited nutritional concerns, 35% said they like the taste of meat, and 34% weren’t interested in changing their eating habits. Likewise, nearly three in 10 respondents said a lack of protein and the renunciation of foods they like were the chief reasons deterring them from eating more plant-based food, while 23% pointed to high costs.
This is why 62% of people in Spain find it difficult or impossible to transition to a plant-based diet, and only 9% say it’s very easy. That has translated into declining sales for meat alternatives too, which fell by 1.6% in 2024 (versus an increase in other vegan categories).
Añaños ascribes this to the fact that “food is emotional” and tied to culture and tradition. “But we also need to step up as an industry: we must create amazing products and break the myths around plant-based food,” he says. “The worst enemy of the category are bad products. People only change habits when the alternatives are exciting, familiar, and truly satisfying.”
This was highlighted by a survey conducted by Heura last year, where 86% of Spanish consumers said they’d eat more plant-based meat if it offered nutritional and taste parity to animal proteins, alongside a lower environmental impact.
Spain calls on government to support low-carbon foods with policies
In the CECU poll, 83% of Spaniards said they follow a Mediterranean diet, which promotes whole foods like legumes, nuts, fruits and vegetables, and lean animal protein over red and processed meat. Still, two in five think it’s false or undecided that this diet calls for a reduction of meat and dairy intake.
That said, legumes emerged as a winning ingredient in the survey. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of respondents find them very healthy, versus just 40% who say the same for meat. Concerningly for the plant-based industry, this falls to 22% for tofu and tempeh, and just 17% for meat analogues.
Legumes, though, are viewed as the cheapest food in Spain, with 49% calling them somewhat or very inexpensive. In contrast, 64% find plant-based meat very expensive, and an even larger share (88%) had the same view of conventional meat.
CECU suggests that there is an intention-action gap when it comes to legumes, with the average Spaniard consuming only 3.36kg of these foods per year, falling well short of the 11.5kg recommended in the national dietary guidelines.
Its survey further unearthed a lack of awareness when it comes to plant-based food. Only a quarter of consumers have heard of the term ‘plant-based’. And some plant protein sources remain largely unknown too, including tempeh (which 81% haven’t heard of), mycoprotein (71%), and seitan (65%).
The findings highlight the need for more government support for plant-based food. More than two in five Spaniards feel it is the responsibility of companies and policymakers to reduce the climate impact of food.
In terms of public policies, 85% support a lower VAT on low-carbon food and 74% said more polluting products should be taxed higher. Meanwhile, 78% back the introduction of carbon labels on food, 73% want the government to financially help farmers to grow plant-based foods that can replace meat, and 53% want to see the establishment of an incentive plan to reduce the number of livestock farmers.
“We need a level playing field. Right now, meat is heavily subsidised,” says Añaños. “Governments should support innovation in plant-based food, ensure fair labelling, and bring these options into schools and public institutions. Spain has everything it takes to lead this shift, but it needs bold policy to make it happen.”
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