Plant-based burgers mostly score well. Plant-based cheese scored D or E every time

Plant-based versions of meat, seafood and dairy are now a regular sight in European supermarkets. A study published in BMC Medicine on 24 September 2026, by researchers at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, asked how big that market has become and how healthy the products are. They used market data from Euromonitor's Passport database and nutrient data from EuroFIR's FoodEXplorer, and rated products with Nutri-Score and traffic-light labels.

Between 2009 and 2024 the market volume of dairy analogues more than tripled, and that of meat and seafood analogues grew about sevenfold. About half of the meat and seafood analogues scored Nutri-Score A or B, and over 60% qualified for EU "high protein" and "low saturated fat" claims. Plant-based drinks varied more. Every analogue of curded dairy products, the cheese-type category, scored D or E, driven by total fat, saturated fat and salt, and many of them had little or no protein.

Compared with the animal foods they copy, the plant-based products on average had more fibre and less total and saturated fat, but less protein and sugar and salt levels that varied widely. The authors say better recipes could make these foods a stronger part of healthy, sustainable diets. For shoppers, the practical message is to read the label of each product rather than assume that plant-based means healthier.