A new report by Lumina Intelligence, commissioned for FoodNavigator, suggests that while the broader market for meat alternatives is slowing down due to rising scepticism around ultra-processed foods (UPFs), young consumers remain significantly more open to these products.
The 18–24 age group showed the highest awareness and willingness to try technologies such as mycoproteins, precision fermentation, cell-cultivated meat, and plant-based substitutes. Unlike older age groups, they are also less concerned about UPFs, believing these foods can fit into a balanced diet if formulated well.
A generation that grew up with alt-meat
A key reason for this openness is familiarity.
“Meat alternatives and food technologies have always been part of supermarket shelves for younger consumers,” notes Flora Zwolinski, Insight Lead at Lumina Intelligence.
For teens and young adults, these foods feel normal, not experimental. By contrast, older consumers encountered them later in life and are more likely to view them as “unnatural.”
The comfort with technology also plays a role. Described widely as digital natives, younger consumers see innovation in food as a logical extension of technological progress, not a threat.
Openness to change vs. cost barriers
According to consumer behaviour researcher Marija Banovic, younger people are attracted to alt-meat because it is marketed as modern, healthy and innovative.
However, their lower purchasing power means that despite enthusiasm, they may not translate this interest into higher buying frequency, given that meat alternatives often cost more than conventional meat.
Older consumers, on the other hand, remain attached to meat as a long-standing dietary staple and tend to equate alternatives with being highly processed.
Sustainability remains a major motivator
Environmental and ethical considerations strongly influence the younger demographic.
“Younger consumers can be more concerned about sustainability and animal welfare than their older counterparts,” adds Zwolinski.
Advocacy group ProVeg UK also notes that because new food technologies are positioned as solutions to climate and resource challenges, they naturally appeal to young people who are more aware of ecological issues.
A demographic reshaping the alt-meat landscape
Even as the meat alternatives sector stabilises after years of hype, the report underscores that younger consumers continue to be its strongest growth engine. Their comfort with technology, openness to experimentation, and sustainability-driven mindset may determine how this sector evolves in the coming decade.