Still niche? Stakeholder perspectives on growing the plant-based meat and plant-based dairy industries

Shifting toward plant-based diets is a crucial aspect of mitigating climate change. As part of this transition, growing the plant-based meat and plant-based dairy industries has significant potential to reduce the environmental impacts of food systems in Western countries. To date, little research has examined the systemic challenges faced by stakeholders involved in developing and supporting these industries. By applying a multi-stakeholder perspective, our study addresses this gap in the literature, exploring the drivers and barriers influencing industry growth. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 respondents representing consumers, manufacturers and retailers. Reflexive thematic analysis was applied, identifying seven overlapping themes applicable to both industries. Findings indicate that support for plant-based products is often grounded in sustainability goals and belief that newer plant-based alternatives can effectively meet consumer expectations. However, industry growth is restricted by structural challenges, including the influence of the meat and dairy sector, negative consumer perceptions, and the high financial risk of investing in emerging alternatives. Stakeholders identified two key changes needed: greater industry investment and more effective strategies to stimulate consumer demand. Applying the multi-level perspective (MLP) to interpret findings suggests that the plant-based meat and plant-based dairy sectors are still operating as niche industries, and that sector growth depends on changes at both the niche and regime levels to fully integrate plant-based meat and plant-based dairy into the food system. This research contributes original insights into the dynamics of sustainable food system transformation by foregrounding stakeholder experiences across multiple points in the value chain.