Earth Day is celebrated on 21 April, the world day of the Earth, to promote the protection of the environment and responsible consumption. An attention, this towards sustainability in the dish, which among Italians seems to have grown over the last five years: four out of 10 in fact declare that they have increased the consumption of fruit and vegetables, while three out of 10 have reduced that of meat. from a research conducted by Bva-Doxa for the Italian Food Union, which for the first time is also trying to calculate how widespread the consumption of plant-based products is in our country, from soy drinks to pea burgers. According to Bva-Doxa, there are now 22 million Italian consumers who choose vegetable proteins, and not just out of curiosity to taste them only once: 54% in fact buy them back, 21% usually and 33% occasionally.
«The consumer today is more informed than in the past – says Salvatore Castiglione, president of the Unionfood plant-based products group – he knows what benefits derive from a varied and balanced diet, rich in vegetables, cereals, whole foods, fruit. Benefits not only for your own health, but also for that of the planet. Plant-based products are not a trend, but a clear trend that meets the new eating habits of Italians ». Among those who choose them regularly, that is 2-3 times a week, the under 35 prevail. In general, consumers buy them for nutritional reasons (40%) or for taste (30%) and, once tried, they become consumers. Among the youngest, the first reason for buying plant-based products is their sustainable profile: 1 out of 2 – says the Bva-Doxa research – thinks that they are environmentally friendly foods, with an ecological footprint among lower than the food world, while 46% of the sample appreciates them because they require less use of natural resources such as soil, water and energy.
The most popular products? They are burgers, cutlets, meatballs and nuggets based on vegetable proteins, preferred by 57% of the interviewees; 47% buy drinks based on soy, rice, oats, almonds and coconut, followed by ice creams and desserts (25% of the total), while biscuits (22%) are preferred above all by the under 35s.