Lidl Germany is standardising the prices of its private-label SKUs under the Vemondo brand, which includes various vegan-friendly meat alternatives, to match comparable items of animal origin.
The move will see the majority of Vemondo products priced the same as their animal-based counterparts.
In a statement, Lidl said that it believes that conscious and sustainable consumption can only be encouraged if the diet that supports it is affordable and easily accessible to everyone.
Vegan-alternative products offered by food retailers are usually more expensive than comparable animal products, the discounter added.
To encourage more regular purchasing, Lidl has placed Vemondo products adjacent to their counterparts of animal origin.
‘Plant-Based Alternatives’
“By adjusting the price of our Vemondo products, we would like to invite customers to try out plant-based alternatives – without price being the decisive factor,” explained Christoph Graf, managing director of products at Lidl Service GmbH & Co. KG.
“Only if we enable our customers to make evermore conscious and sustainable purchasing decisions and fair choices can we help shape the transformation to sustainable nutrition. For us, this also includes remaining in active dialogue with our partners in German agriculture and continuously developing our animal range, in terms of transparency and husbandry methods.”
In addition to vegans and vegetarians, the price adjustments will also appeal to flexitarians, Lidl added.
According to a representative survey by the Federal Association of the German Food Trade (BVLH), 41% of respondents said that they were flexitarians and only occasionally eat meat.
In addition, 43% would buy more plant-based foods if they were offered at cheaper prices, the data showed.
Lidl launched the Vemondo brand in 2020, with the goal of encouraging shoppers to adopt a more plant-based diet.
Its vegan range now features around 100 items and 650 SKUs, depending on the season and special offers.
Read More: Plant-Based Meat Substitutes Under Pressure: Rabobank
