20
May
2026
Our price data analysis has revealed an alarming surge in meat prices in Germany, Spain and the UK fuelling a widening gap with healthy, affordable alternatives like tofu, beans and lentils.
With the full effect from the conflict in Iran yet to be felt, the retail price data from market intelligence agency Euromonitor International show a long-term trend of rising meat prices driven by conflict, climate change and dwindling livestock numbers.
At the same time, prices of sustainable plant proteins such as beans, lentils and tofu have not increased as dramatically, making them an increasingly attractive healthy, sustainable protein source, for consumers looking for refuge from rising prices.
The data reveal:
- Average meat prices have surged since 2019, with jumps of 34% in Germany, 29% in Spain, and 42% in the UK.
- Beef saw the biggest price increase, rising by £4.44 per kg (56%) in the UK, €4.09 (44%) in Spain and €5.31 (39%) in Germany since 2019.
- Even the cheapest meats are losing price competitiveness against pulses. In the UK, the price gap between unprocessed pork and pulses grew from £3.56 to £5.77 between 2019 and 2025. Similarly, the gap between poultry and pulses increased from €2.22 to €3.06 in Spain, and from €0.98 to €1.83 in Germany.
The price difference between processed meat and Plant-based Meat Alternatives (PBMAs) is also moving in favour of plants.
In Germany and the UK, they are now cheaper on average than processed meat. In Germany, PBMAs were, on average, more expensive than processed meat by €2.36 per kg in 2019. They became cheaper by €0.40 in 2025. In the UK, PBMAs were dearer by £0.42 per kg in 2019. By 2025 this had flipped and they were cheaper by £0.29 per kg. Even in Spain, which only has a nascent market for PBMAs, the price gap has narrowed from €3.10 to €2.41 per kg over the same period.
Plant proteins - a buffer against meat price inflation
Nico Muzi, Chief Programme Officer for Madre Brava, said: “The relentless rise of meat prices across Europe is not good news for people struggling to feed their families. And this is just the beginning of a new normal where prices will continue to rise because climate change, wars and the decline in livestock numbers are long-term trends.
“But the good news for consumers is that the price of healthy, sustainable proteins such as beans, lentils and tofu has not increased as much, so they’ve stayed relatively cheap. In this sense, they’re a buffer against meat price inflation.
“They come with the benefit that they are often packed with fibre, which makes them a great way to tackle the serious fibre deficit we’re seeing in many European countries.”
“This provides supermarkets with an opportunity,” Nico added, “they can make money and help their customers weather the cost of living crisis, while also getting more fibre, by committing to increasing the proportion of beans, lentils, tofu and plant-based meat alternatives they sell.”
The Supermarket Opportunity
Madre Brava is calling on European supermarkets to support the shift to more plant-rich diets by taking the following steps:
Deliver a robust climate plan that includes clear emission reductions targets for Scope 3 emissions (those from the full supply chain). A recent benchmark of the top 27 supermarkets in eight European countries showed only seven supermarkets had developed detailed roadmaps to reduce emissions in the near term.
For that climate plan to be robust, supermarket chains need to set concrete, time-bound targets to rebalance protein sales to increase plant-based and reduce animal-based foods. By 2035, at least 60% of all foods sold should be plant-based, and protein-source food sales should be at least 33% plant-based.
Implement a series of measures (the 4Ps) to make healthy and sustainable proteins the easiest choice for consumers: sell plant protein products at the same price (or cheaper) than animal protein products, which is progressing with increased prices of meat and dairy, improve product quality, stock a greater assortment of plant-based foods and give them more shelf space (place), and prioritise plant-based foods in promotions (e.g. deals, discounts and consumer campaigns).
Read the full analysis: The Protein Price Gap
