Co-op cuts cost of plant-based foods to match price of meat in drive for ‘lower carbon lifestyles’

Supermarket aims to address ‘unfair’ cost differences between some vegan products and meat-based equivalents

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The Co-operative Group has pledged to drive down the prices of its own-brand plant-based foods to match equivalent meat and dairy-based products.

The supermarket chain will slash the prices of some products in its vegan range GRO as part of its new plan to achieve net zero emissions and help customers “move to lower carbon lifestyles”.

The Co-op said it is investing more than £1.7 million to reduce the prices of 29 vegan products, including burgers and sausages, from 5 May to encourage consumers who may be put off by the higher prices of plant-based alternatives.

Research has found that vegan products are on average 14 per cent more expensive than their non-vegan equivalents per serving, but some vegan products can be up to three times more costly.

An analysis of 37 vegan products found that vegan products were also 6 per cent smaller on average, providing even less value for money.

Jo Whitfield, chief executive of Co-op Food, said: “It’s an industry-wide standard that plant-based alternatives are usually priced higher than their meat and dairy counterparts.

“At Co-op, we believe it shouldn’t cost you more money to eat plant-based food and that this disparity is unfair to those following vegetarian, vegan and flexitarian diets.”

She said the decision to make the supermarket’s GRO range “more accessible” will help members and customers “make decisions that collectively will have an impact on the world we all share”.

“Emissions from our operations and our own-brand products are where we have the greatest responsibility and can make the biggest difference,” added Ms Whitfield.

“This move is a step in the right direction and we encourage other retailers and brands to consider making the change too.”

Lynne Elliot, chief executive of the Vegetarian Society, said: “This is brilliant news from Co-op, and we support any move that makes plant-based food more accessible with fewer barriers to purchase.

“Eating a plant-based diet is one of the best things you can do to help reduce your carbon footprint and it’s delicious.”

In its new net zero target, the Co-op said it will switch its 200-strong home delivery fleet to electric vehicles, end the use of fossil fuel heating, lower farm agricultural emissions and cut packaging. The supermarket aims to be a net zero business by 2040.

It also pledged to campaign for climate action and said: “We will be advocating with government to press for the necessary systemic change, including a call for greater climate impact disclosure and support for the most vulnerable.”

The move by the Co-op follows a similar one made by Asda last year, when the latter invested £6.17 million to lower the prices of some products in its Free From range to bring them in line with their non-free-from counterparts.

Vegetarian products such as the Free From Grated Cheese and Free From Meat Gravy were included in the price-matching initiative, which took effect from 12 October 2020.