foodwatch market check on Veganuary: Vegan meat substitutes are often unbalanced

Bacon, schnitzel, chicken burger - on the occasion of Veganuary, the consumer organization foodwatch took a close look at 15 purely plant-based meat-style products. The result: the health value of the foods is mixed. Some of the meat substitutes contain a relatively high number of calories and high amounts of saturated fatty acids and salt. foodwatch calculated the Nutri-Scores for all products. Only two of the 15 products were rated with a green nutritional traffic light. In contrast, more than half received a rather poor Nutri-Score rating of D or E. The majority of vegan foods contain a range of additives and are highly processed.

"Eating less meat and sausage is not only good for the environment, but also for our health. However, vegan or vegetarian meat alternatives are not healthy per se. Many meat substitutes are highly processed and contain flavorings and additives. It's best to choose fresh, unprocessed foods," explains Alice Luttrop, nutritionist and certified nutritionist.

foodwatch assessed the nutritional composition of 15 randomly selected vegan meat substitutes from various brands using the Nutri-Score food traffic light.

The worst ratings

The two products with the worst rating are the "Snack Salami Style Klassik" from Billie Green, bought at Edeka, and the "Vegan Virginia Steak" from Wheaty, bought at Denn's. Both products contain a relatively high amount of saturated fat and correspondingly many calories. To Wheaty's steak's credit, it is the only product in the market check that does not contain any additives or added flavorings.

The best test results

The "Like Chicken" vegan chicken slices from Like Meat, bought from Rewe, would receive a green Nutri-Score A. This is characterized by a low fat and calorie content and a relatively high fibre content. The veggie mince from Endori, bought from Rewe, also has the best Nutri-Score A: it contains a lot of protein and little saturated fat.

Consumer deception also with meat substitutes

The consumer organization pointed out that vegan foods are also advertised with misleading statements. Rügenwalder Mühle, for example, advertises the vegan ham Spicker Mortadella on the front with the statement "Based on sunflower seeds". However, a glance at the list of ingredients on the back of the packaging reveals that it should actually read "Based on bamboo fibers", as the vegan sausage contains just two percent sunflower protein.

"The wide range of vegan foods on offer is good for everyone who wants to eat in a more climate- and animal-friendly way. But beware: vegan does not automatically mean honest, even animal-free food is tricked and deceived," explained Rauna Bindewald from foodwatch.

Growing market

With the so-called Veganuary, an organization has been promoting a vegan diet in January and beyond since 2014. Numerous German retailers are taking part in the campaign. No wonder, according to foodwatch, as this is a growing, lucrative market that everyone wants to cash in on: According to the Federal Ministry of Food's 2023 Nutrition Report, the proportion of people who choose vegetarian or vegan alternatives to animal products on a daily basis is steadily increasing. While this figure was five percent of consumers in Germany in 2020, it rose to ten percent in 2023. Reasons such as curiosity, climate and environmental protection, animal welfare and taste play a prominent role for most respondents when buying vegan substitute products. However, 48% of respondents also stated that they bought the products because they were healthy.

Further research required for industrial processing

In an overview report, the World Health Organization calls for "further research to investigate the as yet unknown health effects of food additives and by-products resulting from the industrial processing of such plant-based 'meats'."

The products in the market check:

• Nutri-Score A
  • Veggie mince (Endori), 200g, €2.99, bought at Rewe
  • Like Chicken (Like Meat), 180g, €3.19, bought at Rewe

• Nutri-Score C
  • Like Chicken Burger (Like Meat), 180g, €2.99, bought at Rewe
  • The wonderchunks Dönerstyle (My veggie Tag), 185g, €2.99, bought at Aldi Nord
  • Beyond Nuggets (Beyond Meat), 200g, €3.99 bought at Kaufland
  • Vegan ham Spicker Mortadella (Rügenwalder Mühle), 80g, €1.59 bought at Rewe

• Nutri-Score D
  • Vegan salami classic (Rügenwalder Mühle), 80g, €1.59, bought at Rewe
  • Beyond Meat Burger, 226g, €3.99, bought at Rewe
  • The Vegan Cow spreadable sausage (organic), 150g, €3.99, bought from Bio Company
  • Vegan schnitzel cheesy style (Vemondo), 200g, €2.49, bought at Lidl
  • Vegan bacon (Billie Green), 90g, €1.99, bought at Rewe
  • Meat salad (my veggie), 200g, €0.99, bought at Edeka
  • Vegan mini frika (Greenforce), 180g, €2.99, bought at Rewe

• Nutri-Score E
  • Vegan Virginia steak (Wheaty) (organic), 175g, €4.39, bought at Denn's
  • Snack Salami Style (Billie Green), 75g, €2.49, bought at Edeka

Note: foodwatch calculated the Nutri-Scores using the new algorithm that has been in force since January 2024. The fiber content of the Veggie Hack from Endori and the Beyond Meat Nuggets was not available. The Like Chicken Burger from Like Meat currently still carries the Nutri-Score B on the packaging. This classification corresponds to the old basis for calculating the Nutri-Score. For products already labeled with the food traffic light, there is a long transition period until the end of 2025, after which they must be labeled with the new Nutri-Score. According to the new algorithm, the burger gets a C. The same applies to meat salad from My Veggie. The packaging is currently still labeled with the Nutri-Score C, but the new calculation will give the product a D.