As plant-based eating continues its rise across Europe, one retailer is making bold moves to ensure the future of food is more sustainable, accessible, and delicious. Lidl Netherlands is proving that plant-based foods are not just a trend—they are the future of grocery retail.

From reformulating plant-based products to improve taste and nutrition, to permanently lowering prices and introducing hybrid meat products with pea protein, Lidl is rewriting the playbook on how retailers can drive plant-based adoption. Most notably, Lidl has set an ambitious target: by 2030, at least 60% of the proteins it sells will be plant-based.

A Commitment to Quality: Reformulated Meat Alternatives 

Lidl has taken a strategic approach to improving its plant-based range, focusing not just on availability but on enhancing taste, texture, and nutritional value.

“We wanted to offer the best range of meat substitutes in the Netherlands. In total, we spent over a year developing the optimal recipe for each meat substitute,” said Gijs Regtuit, Buyer at Lidl Netherlands, in a LinkedIn post by V-Label.

This dedication to R&D ensures that plant-based options aren’t just an alternative but a true competitor to traditional meat products. For food buyers and category managers, this move signals a clear shift: consumers expect higher-quality plant-based products, and retailers that invest in improvement will reap the rewards.

Lower Prices, Higher Adoption 

One of the biggest barriers to plant-based food adoption has long been price parity with animal-based products. Lidl is tackling this issue head-on by permanently lowering the prices of plant-based alternatives, ensuring that cost is no longer a deterrent for customers making more sustainable food choices.

For retail and foodservice buyers, this pricing shift is a game-changer. If a major retailer like Lidl can offer plant-based products at a more affordable price point, competitors will have to follow suit—or risk losing market share to a growing consumer base that prioritizes sustainability.

Blended Proteins: A Bridge for Meat Eaters 

In addition to expanding its fully plant-based range, Lidl has introduced pea protein-based blended meat products, designed to appeal to flexitarian shoppers who aren’t ready to give up meat entirely but want to reduce their consumption.

This hybrid approach recognizes that consumers don’t always switch overnight, and offering incremental shifts can accelerate the transition to a more plant-forward diet. For manufacturers and foodservice providers, this trend toward “balanced proteins” represents an enormous opportunity to develop products that cater to a broad spectrum of dietary preferences.

A 60% Plant-Based Protein Goal by 2030 

Lidl’s commitment to making plant-based proteins the majority of its protein sales by 2030 is a bold industry benchmark. With plant-based protein currently making up just a fraction of global protein consumption, Lidl’s pledge shows that retailers can lead the charge in shifting consumer habits on a mass scale.

“By offering more plant-based alternatives and further improving their taste and nutritional value, we are making it easier for our customers to make conscious choices,” said Chantal Goenee, sustainability and health expert at Lidl Netherlands.

For buyers and suppliers alike, Lidl’s leadership highlights a major opportunity to align with this growing market shift. As the retailer continues expanding its plant-based offerings, suppliers and manufacturers that innovate with high-quality, competitively priced products will be in prime position to capitalize on this transformation.

What This Means for the Food Industry 

✔ Retailers Need to Prioritize R&D: Lidl’s investment in better-tasting, nutritionally superior plant-based products signals that innovation is no longer optional—it’s necessary to stay competitive.

✔ Price Parity is Becoming the Norm: With Lidl lowering plant-based prices, other retailers will need to match or undercut their pricing to remain attractive to cost-conscious shoppers.

✔ Blended Meat Products Are Gaining Momentum: For manufacturers, hybrid products using both animal and plant proteins represent a significant market opportunity to engage flexitarians.

✔ Plant-Based is the Future of Protein: Lidl’s 60% plant-based protein goal underscores that retailers must start planning for a future where plant-based is the default, not the exception.

Lidl Netherlands is proving that major retailers can take plant-based mainstream—not just by offering more products, but by improving quality, lowering prices, and creating innovative solutions that meet consumers where they are.

For food buyers, manufacturers, and foodservice providers, this is a call to action: The demand for plant-based foods is growing, and the companies that prioritize innovation, affordability, and accessibility will be the ones that thrive in the future of food.