Alternative proteins could replace two thirds of animal proteins by 2050

Green Alliance warns that a passive stance will see European producers and consumers lose out as benefits end up abroad, citing Italy’s ban on lab-grown meat last year

Government policy that supports alternative proteins is the key to self-sufficiency and food security in Europe, according to a 10-country report by the Green Alliance think-tank, commissioned by the Good Food Institute Europe.

The term alternative proteins covers plant-based meat alternatives, products that use protein derived from a fermentation process, or cell-based products made from animal cells grown in a lab.

According to the report’s least-optimistic scenario, alternative proteins could displace a sixth of meat and dairy consumption in Europe by 2050. With greater support, however, it could replace two-thirds of animal proteins.

Elena Walden, Senior Policy Manager at the Good Food Institute Europe said: “Europe is living beyond its means when it comes to land use. This isn’t an either/or debate – alternative proteins have the potential to satisfy some of Europe’s demand for meat and dairy while using much less land.”

Dustin Benton, Policy Director at Green Alliance said: “Alternative proteins offer the prospect of an unprecedented land dividend in Europe, with a huge opportunity to improve rural incomes, increase food self-sufficiency, restore nature, and limit climate change. But politicians need to invest in alternative proteins and support farmers to use their land differently, to make the most of the opportunity.”

Benton says that even the report’s ‘low-intervention scenario’ is “consistent with a future in which poorly thought-through bans, like that imposed by Florida governor Ron DeSantis become the norm.”

DeSantis recently banned the manufacture and distribution of lab-grown meat within the state and argued that he is protecting the meat industry against “an ideological agenda that wants to finger agriculture as the problem; that views things like raising cattle as destroying our climate”. 

In Europe, the Italian Chamber of Deputies has also passed a bill banning the production and marketing of cultivated meat in the country. 

Benton countered: “We’re confident this support will materialise somewhere in the world, so the question for Europe is whether it wants to be proactive and steer the development of these new foods for the benefit of European producers and consumers, or whether it prefers the products to be developed elsewhere, with the benefits potentially ending up abroad.”

“Ensuring that dietary patterns across Europe come into line with environmental limits is crucial, not least tackling the huge land-use footprint of industrially reared meat.”

Gareth Morgan, Head of Farming and Land Use Policy at the Soil Association said: “Ensuring that dietary patterns across Europe come into line with environmental limits is crucial, not least tackling the huge land-use footprint of industrially reared meat with its huge dependence on imported feed. It’s good to see this report pose the question of how this can be done.” 

A Defra spokesperson commented: “We support a thriving agri-food sector and consumer choice that includes backing our British farmers and a successful alternative protein sector. We have invested more than £41m on a range of projects looking to overcome technological barriers and encourage further industry investment.

“We are also looking at ways to reduce agricultural emissions from our farms, which could include modifying animal feed and feeding practices.”