Visionary retailers are expanding their plant-based range and setting goals for the future
Leading retail giants across Europe are converging in Berlin on 24 October for ProVeg International’s inaugural Retailer Roundtable, a pivotal event dedicated to accelerating the adoption of sustainable food practices. The roundtable serves as a platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing among top European retailers, with the common goal of spearheading a more environmentally responsible approach to the food industry.
Embracing sustainability: a collective vision
As the urgency of transforming the global food system becomes increasingly evident, the ProVeg Retailer Roundtable emerges as a significant milestone. Recent climate data underscores the need to combat the climate crisis, with food systems accounting for up to one third of total greenhouse gas emissions. Plant-based foods have been found to produce half the emissions of their animal-based counterparts1.
Leading retailers committed to change
Retail giants like Lidl, Rewe, Colruyt, Albert Heijn, Billa, and Biedronka are among the industry leaders that have already confirmed their participation in this event. These visionary retailers are driving change by expanding their plant-based offerings and setting ambitious targets for the future.
“Retailers have proven to be the leading lights in transitioning consumers to more climate-friendly foods. This meeting will bring them together in one room to share knowledge that we hope will accelerate their efforts,” stated Mathilde Alexandre, Corporate and Institutional Engagement Manager at ProVeg International.
“Albert Heijn underpins the importance of the shift to a more plant-based diet by setting ambitious targets for their plant-based protein sales, that is 50% in 2025 and 60% in 2030,” Willem Dehing, Lead Category Manager Vega(n) at Albert Heijn said.
“Our goal is to offer the best range of products for a mindful and more sustainable way of living by 2025. By setting goals for healthy and more sustainable nutrition, we want to support the transformation of food systems,” said Myriam Taphorn, Nutritionist, and Consultant at Lidl Stiftung CSR.
A platform for collaboration
The roundtable will convene in Berlin on 24 October and will address critical topics, including achieving price parity for plant-based products and sharing best practices for marketing plant-based foods. Together, these efforts aim to reshape consumer choices and drive coordinated industry action towards sustainability.
Retailers pioneering change
Retailers have made great strides this year already in promoting plant-based foods:
- Lidl announced plans in February to increase its plant-based food offerings and reduce animal-based foods as part of a sustainability drive.
- Aldi Süd has pledged to boost its plant-based range to 1,000 products by 2024.
- Carrefour is pioneering the development of plant-based foods in France through a coalition with major corporations, aiming to reach €3 billion in revenue by 2026
- Dutch retailer Albert Heijn launched a new plant-based range in September, contributing to its goal to make 60% of all protein sold plant-based by 2030.
A prelude to COP28
The event, called “ProVeg Retailer Roundtable – Market Leaders Building a Greener Future”, will take place just a few weeks before COP28, the UN’s environmental summit which this year will be more focused on food than any previous COPs.
ProVeg will also be in attendance at COP and will have a Food4Climate Pavilion on site, raising awareness of the importance of plant-rich and cultivated foods for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Presidency of COP28, which kicks off in Dubai at the end of November, has committed to provide mostly plant-based catering at the two week event, along with emissions labelling on foods.
Join the ProVeg Retailer Roundtable
Retailers who wish to join this transformative event can still do so by contacting us at [email protected]