Choosing plant-based versions of certain milk and dairy products can cut grocery bills by as much as 30% in the Netherlands, according to new research.
A study by advocacy group ProVeg surveyed nine Dutch supermarket chains and compared basic baskets containing items such as minced meat, burgers, butter, milk, yogurt, and cheese.
ProVeg claims the basket containing the plant-based alternatives was cheaper across all retailers surveyed, with an average saving of 18%.
The largest relative savings were found at Plus (30%), followed by Dirk (28%) andthe discounter Lidl (24%), according to the research.
ProVeg Netherlands' Martine van Haperen said: “The idea that plant-based products are expensive prevents many people from eating healthier and more sustainably.”
“By pricing plant-based alternatives slightly lower than the animal variant, the sustainable choice also becomes the most affordable choice. We see that more and more supermarkets are consciously focusing on this as well.”
However, ProVeg said price disparities remain in some categories particularly in yogurt and quark. The cheapest plant-based yogurt was, on average, “more than twice as expensive” as the cheapest dairy yogurt, it found.
Van Haperen said: “If plant-based alternatives are not purchased in large numbers, sales volumes remain low, making it more difficult for supermarkets to offer a competitive price.
“Moreover, plant-based yogurts are hardly available in litre cartons yet. That makes it harder to offer the same low price per kilo as with animal dairy. There are still opportunities there for supermarkets to further expand the range.”
In June, The Good Food Institute (GFI) reported earlier this year that plant-based food sales in the Netherlands fell by both value and volume in 2025.
The drop was led by plant-based meat, with sales volume down 10.7% and value down 10.5% to €108.1m, the GFI, a not-for-profit advocating for alternative proteins, said.
In the same period, sales in four of Europe’s largest markets for plant-based food – Germany, Italy, France, and Spain – grew by both metrics.
