Supporting plant-forward diets

Multiple studies show that eating more protein from plant sources and less from animal sources is key to building sustainable diets that are good for people and the planet. We know that changing eating habits can be challenging. Our aim is to help people adopt more plant-forward diets by providing consumers with plant-based options that align with their tastes and eating habits. We also support the transition to healthier and more sustainable eating patterns by investing in research to increase our understanding of behaviour change as well as consumers’ needs and motivations.

Read more about our nutrition philosophy and approach.

Our sales goal

€1.5 billion of sales per annum from plant-based products in categories whose products are traditionally using animal-derived ingredients by 2025.

€1.3 billionOur progress in 2024

We’ve been recognised for our efforts by the FAIRR Initiative, a collaborative investor network that raises awareness of the environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks and opportunities in the global food sector. It named Unilever as the leader in its 2022 benchmark of companies that are using protein diversification to drive growth and build climate-aligned portfolios. We continue to maintain a close collaboration with the FAIRR Initiative.

Innovating to increase consumer choice

We’re working towards our goal across all categories in scope, by extending existing product ranges to include options that do not use animal-derived ingredients and by innovating new plant-based foods.

Ice cream without the dairy

We continue to expand our Ice Cream portfolio with dairy-free choices across brands such as Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum, Wall’s and Cornetto.

Plant-based dressings

We’re developing plant-based alternatives to popular dressings and condiments.

Encouraging plant-forward diets

To support people in their transition to plant-forward diets, we go beyond providing products by sharing inspiration and recipes for plant-based meals. We’re also making it easier for people to find vegetarian foods in the shops. In the Netherlands, we collaborate with the Nationale Postcode Loterij and Albert Heijn on the 'Geniet van 't Goede' campaign, which inspires consumers with recipes for well-loved dishes featuring easy and delicious vegetarian swaps. In its 11th edition, over €23.6 million was spent on vegetarian products using gift cards sent to more than 3 million members in 2024.

Investing in future foods

We believe plant-forward diets will become even more common, so we’re innovating for novel plant-based ingredients. We’re investing in growing and diversifying the range of plant-based protein sources in our products and recipes to respect the planet and meet consumers’ expectations.

We also work with others to advance our shared understanding and development of plant-based ingredients and foods.