Demand for vegan chocolate drops this easter

Analysis of Google data for more than 1,000 vegan-related terms in 2021-22 and 2022-23 found that consumer demand for vegan products had fallen in the run-up to Easter.

Overall, searches for ‘vegan’ related terms fell by 15% in the UK, whereas searches for any terms relating to ‘vegan chocolate’ fell 23% from last year.

Vegan search terms

Searches for vegan Easter eggs saw the biggest decline at 30%, while the likes of vegan white chocolate and vegan dark chocolate saw a 28% and 23% drop respectively.

Commenting on the research, specialist paediatric allergy dietitian at The Milk Allergy Dietician Lydia Collins-Hussey said: “For the allergic consumer it is important to have vegan and free-from options available and I'm surprised that data is showing a reduction in demand but this could be down to many things such as the cost of living crisis and the expensive nature of some vegan products. ​

“For example, Cadbury's mini eggs retail for £1.25 for 80g whereas 'Moo Free Choccy eggs' are £2.25 for 50g, so not only are vegan and free from products more expensive but also contain less.​

Price hikes

“I work closely with families that have food allergies and it's important that children do not feel excluded or isolated. Families may look for other Easter-themed food or presents that are safer instead. The allergic community should not be penalised and price hikes are an ongoing issue, not just for vegan Easter products but also for everyday essentials, such as plant-based milk.”​

Free-from terms also saw a decline in searches during the reported periods – searches for dairy-free chocolates fell 11% year-on-year, while milk-free chocolate decreased by 5%. Dairy-free chocolate was also the second highest searched term, with 89,900 hits.

Meanwhile, by 2040, it is estimated that 60% of the 'meat' consumed will come from labs or plant-based alternatives. Here, Kemin takes a closer look at the progress of meat alternatives​ ​and analyses the considerable challenges still to be overcome.