Simon Fraser University study finds price alone isn’t driving plant-based protein purchases in Canada and Finland

New research from Simon Fraser University has challenged the idea that price is the primary factor preventing consumers from buying more plant-based proteins, with findings suggesting that product variety may be just as important in shaping purchasing decisions.

• The study analyzed loyalty card data from more than 87,000 grocery shoppers across Canada and Finland over two-year periods.
• Researchers found that meat purchases were more sensitive to price changes than plant-based protein purchases.
• The findings suggested that greater availability of affordable plant-based products could help support more climate-friendly diets.

Published in Nature, the study examined more than 87,000 grocery shoppers, including 58,000 in Canada and 29,000 in Finland, using loyalty card records collected over two-year periods. By analyzing actual purchasing behavior rather than surveys or self-reported consumption, researchers were able to assess how consumers responded to changing prices across a broad range of protein products.

The research tracked purchases across seven plant-based protein categories, including legumes, tofu, plant-based beverages and meat alternatives, alongside 14 animal-based categories such as beef, pork, poultry, eggs and dairy products.

While researchers expected higher prices to reduce purchases across both categories, the degree of consumer response differed significantly.

“When prices rose, people bought less, and that was true for both animal-based and plant-based proteins. What surprised us was that price differences hit meat purchases harder than plant-based ones,” said Cameron McRae, lead author of the study.

“Price has often been described as a major barrier to buying plant-based foods, but our data suggests the relationship is more complicated.”

The findings challenge a common assumption within discussions around sustainable diets and alternative proteins. While affordability remains important, the study suggested that consumers may face additional constraints when shopping for plant-based options, particularly when there are fewer products available to choose from.

Researchers found that lower-income consumers were generally more sensitive to price changes than higher-income shoppers. However, the gap between high- and low-income households was smaller for plant-based products than for animal-based foods.

Income also appeared to influence plant-based purchasing decisions more strongly than education levels, according to the study.

The researchers suggested that these patterns reflected structural differences between conventional meat categories and emerging plant-based markets.

Consumers buying meat often have a range of lower-cost alternatives available within the same category. A shopper faced with rising beef prices, for example, can switch from premium cuts to ground beef or other less expensive products. Plant-based categories, by contrast, frequently offer a narrower selection.

“With meat, shoppers can usually trade down when prices are higher, choosing ground beef instead of steak, for example. If there are only two or three plant-based options on the shelf, consumers who want those products have fewer cheaper alternatives to switch to,” McRae explained.

“If sustainability is the goal, plant-based foods can’t remain a premium option.”

The study suggested that expanding the number of affordable plant-based products available to consumers could be as important as reducing prices themselves. Researchers argued that greater competition within plant-based categories could help shoppers find options that match both their budgets and dietary preferences.

The findings arrive as governments, retailers and food companies continue to explore ways of encouraging dietary shifts that could reduce environmental impacts associated with food production. Plant-based foods are widely viewed as a lower-emissions source of protein compared with many animal-derived products, but adoption rates have remained uneven across different consumer groups.

According to the researchers, increasing access to affordable plant-based foods may require a combination of broader product ranges and measures that narrow price differences between conventional and alternative proteins.

The study pointed to examples such as dairy alternatives, where plant-based products often remain more expensive than their conventional counterparts. Bringing prices closer together, the researchers suggested, could make sustainable choices more accessible to a wider range of consumers.

The authors also noted that targeted discounts or subsidies for plant-based foods could encourage greater uptake among price-conscious shoppers.

For consumers looking to reduce food costs while increasing plant-based consumption, the study highlighted a distinction between whole-food ingredients and highly processed alternatives.

McRae said many of the cost concerns associated with plant-based diets stem from direct replacements for animal products rather than naturally plant-based foods.

“One-to-one substitution, like plant-based cheese instead of dairy cheese, are often where grocery bills increase. Whole foods tell a very different story,” he explained.

“If people focus less on highly processed plant-based substitutes and more on whole foods like beans, lentils and peas, a plant-forward diet can actually be less expensive overall.”

The findings suggested that efforts to encourage more sustainable diets may need to move beyond discussions about price alone. While affordability remains a key consideration, the research indicated that providing consumers with a wider range of accessible plant-based options could play an equally important role in determining what ends up in grocery carts.