Meat-free 2025: UPF concerns boost clean-label brands

In a declining meat-free market, one brand is bucking the trend. Number three player The Tofoo Co has racked up value growth of 11.1% – the highest in the category. That’s been backed by volume growth of 10.6%.

Its success comes down to two increasingly important factors: value and a ‘clean’ ingredient deck.

First, tofu is “one of the best-value proteins on shelf”, despite perceptions of meat-free lines being pricey, points out David Knibbs, co-founder and MD of The Tofoo Co. “A block of Tofoo can feed a family for less than the price of two chicken breasts, and it keeps longer than fresh meat,” he says.

Second, Knibbs describes tofu as the “antithesis of an ultra-processed food”. And that’s a powerful selling point as the UPF narrative gains ground. “Consumers are reading ingredient lists more closely than ever and if it looks like a science experiment, it’s going back on shelf,” he says. “That shift has hurt ultra-processed meat mimics, but benefited products like tofu and tempeh.”

He’s absolutely right. Tempeh brand Better Nature is another success story. It’s up 10.5% in value, driven by volume growth of 8.8%. “The backlash against UPF meat alternatives, coupled with growing demand for natural and gut-friendly proteins, has fuelled growth for the UK tempeh category,” says its CEO Elin Roberts.

That attitudinal shift has persuaded Better Nature to make health credentials its key selling point. The brand has “made a bold move this year to say no to plant-based labels”, Roberts says. “This means we no longer promote our brand as plant-based, and we don’t use the words ‘plant-based’ on our packaging. Instead, our focus is on health: positioning tempeh as a better-for-you protein to supercharge your diet and, in turn, your life.”

Elsewhere in plant-based prospects are less perky. The same consumer desires that have buoyed The Tofoo Co and Better Nature have been detrimental to the wider category. Six of the top 10 brands are down in value, and seven are facing a decline in volume. Overall, meat-free has shed 4.8% in value and 6.5% in volume – primarily due to a loss of shoppers.

“Meat-free has a very high proportion of light buyers that either are flexitarian or just looking to try meat substitute products, and often end up leaving the category entirely,” explains NIQ senior analytics executive Hamza Malik.

That’s been amplified by inflation, which stood at 4.5% for the year to September 2025, according to ONS figures. cost of living pressures have made “shoppers less confident in experimenting”, Malik says. “And, in a category with a high number of light buyers, the impact of that is definitely felt more.”

Market leader Quorn acknowledges the challenge. It’s down 3.4% in value on volumes down 5.7%. However, it’s still by far the largest player in the category, and it’s keen to dispel perceptions of meat-free being expensive and ultra-processed.

“There continues to be widespread misinformation surrounding UPFs, which is causing confusion for some consumers when it comes to understanding what is and isn’t healthy,” says Lucy Grogut, marketing director at Quorn Foods UK. “At Quorn, we firmly believe that the nutritional aspects of a food are the most important indicator of whether it is good for you or not. Processed doesn’t automatically mean unhealthy.”

It’s working to hammer home that message with a campaign backed by nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert.

Fellow meat-free brand Squeaky Bean is assuming a similarly educational role. “In reality, there’s no clear evidence that the nutritional profile of plant-based meat alternatives is any worse than meat,” says Yvonne Adam, chief marketing officer at owner The Compleat Food Group. “What we do know is that diets high in saturated fat, salt and Sugar are bad for our health. That’s why we focus on educating consumers about balance, helping them build diets that support both personal and planetary wellbeing.”

Beyond Meat – one of the few big brands to hold on to value – conducted a focus group on the subject. “We found that many consumers take a pragmatic approach to processed foods, especially meat substitutes,” it says. “While people are generally more aware of UPFs and reducing intake in other areas, plant-based meat alternatives are widely perceived as healthy or healthier than animal meat.”

Still, brands are clearly aware of the need to take action. Quorn removed artificial ingredients from its core Frozen ingredients range in the first half of the year. Redefine Meat has rolled out “clearer labelling and positive communication around our products having no preservatives and highlighting the existing health benefits”. Number five brand This rolled out a Chickpea Tofu to make “wholefood plant-based eating even more accessible and exciting” (see Top Launch, p128).

UPF concerns are “certainly something we’re aware of and actively working to address,” says Nick Ball, This commercial director. “Shoppers are becoming more conscious of what goes into their food.”

The focus on whole foods is undoubtedly paying off for This, which was one of the few big brands to avoid a sales decline.

Playing to other trends

Other brands are achieving success by playing to other macro trends. Quorn targeted convenience-led shoppers with its ‘Mission Snack Swap’ push in May. Beyond has tapped appetite for spicy flavours with its jalapeño  burger lines, which bagged Asda listings in the summer. And Refine Meat is catering for the rise in high-end tastes with its Premium Burgers.

Brands ultimately see a bright future for meat-free. “The meat-free category will continue to evolve through a focus on taste and innovation,” says Simon Owen, vice president EMEA at Redefine Meat.

Over at This, Ball is even more bullish: “Our vision is to double the size of the category by 2030.”

If he’s right, in five years’ time, this report could be talking about a category worth just shy of £1bn.