The food industry has experienced a seismic shift towards vegan and plant-based eating in recent years, creating opportunities for meat-free brands to break into a global market valued just this year in the hundreds of millions.
According to a 2024 customer insight survey conducted by Vita Mojo, UK demand for plant-based food at quick-service restaurants rose by 56%, and Smart Protein’s latest study finds that 51% of Europeans are eating less meat – with 27% identifying as ‘flexitarian’, highlighting an emerging consumer base in shoppers who aren’t strictly vegan yet still interested in substituting out animal products. More people than ever before are purchasing meat-free, plant-based alternatives, and the competition to capture the attention of consumers is steep – so, with a rapid rise in brands entering the market, how can you ensure your vegan food packaging catches eyes on the shop shelves?
1. Make sure your meatless meals look good enough to eat
If you want your vegan food packaging design to be the first thing shoppers see, you need to break free from the sea of greens and browns that have dominated vegan branding for years. While those colours signal health and sustainability, they can make your product fade into the background. By experimenting with innovative use of colour and visual design, you can send the right message to the right audience in an instant.
For example, research by ProVeg International shows that red can signal “tastier” plant-based meat to meat-eaters, orange can encourage repeat purchases, and blue is often associated with brand trust and premium quality.
2. Build a brand personality that connects with consumers
Your visual identity is only half the story – your brand voice is what makes people look up, pay attention, and remember you. Today’s customers gravitate toward brands that feel human, authentic, and confident, with a message that they can connect to.
We embodied this ethos in our work with Naughty Vegan, a plant-based startup looking to position themselves as a devilishly delicious alternative to meat and dairy products. We helped to create a cheeky, irreverent personality through bright yellow packaging, playful illustrations, and tongue-in-cheek product names like “No Piggy in the Middle Rolls.” This approach invites flexitarians and curious newcomers to try vegan products without feeling intimidated or like they’re “making a statement” – it’s just fun, tasty food with an attitude that customers across all camps can connect with.
3. Tap into the plant-based power of your vegan product
Shoppers are becoming more conscious of what’s actually in their food, beyond labels like “vegan” or “plant-based” – trend forecasters have consistently noted the consumer shift towards health-oriented whole foods, meaning your customers are looking at your packaging and increasingly asking: Is it nutritious? Is it minimally processed? Is it sustainable?
There’s a growing demand for less processed, whole-food ingredients and transparent sourcing, especially amongst consumers of vegan and plant-based foods concerned with the “ultra-processed” composition of substitute meat products. When we worked with vegan milkshake startup DevOATed, we positioned their chemical-free, oat-based products around natural, wholesome goodness, and backed it up with packaging that felt honest, stripped-back, and fresh. The result? A brand customers could trust from the first glance.
Don’t forget your packaging materials themselves. Eco-friendly, recyclable, compostable, and even vegan-certified inks and glues are becoming selling points in their own right, so make sure you’re telling that story clearly on-pack – it reinforces your values and builds credibility.
4. Speak to a broader audience for the best results
The plant-based foods market isn’t just vegans. Flexitarians – those reducing but not cutting out animal products – and health-conscious consumers are a quickly-growing audience. To reach them, focus on taste, convenience, and inclusivity in your messaging.
Many brands are using the term plant-based instead of vegan to feel more approachable and encourage trial. Framing your product as something anyone can enjoy makes it easier to sit alongside meat-based options and attract curious shoppers. Remember: your goal is to make your product the easy, delicious choice, not just the ethical one.
5. Match your online presence to your on-shelf style
The presence of technology is more pronounced than ever in our modern world, and in many cases a customer’s first interaction with your brand may be on their phone, not in-store. That means your messaging needs to be consistent across all touchpoints, and your website, social media, and e-commerce listings need to work just as hard as your packaging.
Make sure your digital touchpoints mirror your on-shelf style: clear messaging, consistent visuals, and strong product photography that shows off your food at its best. Use social media to bring your brand personality to life and create shareable moments, from influencer partnerships to clever, campaignable hashtags.
If your online brand presence looks as good as your vegan food packaging design, you’ll build trust and keep customers engaged long after the first purchase.
Vegan food packaging design in 2025 is about standing out, connecting emotionally, and building trust with a diverse audience. By combining creative colour choices, a distinctive personality, whole-food credibility, flexitarian-friendly messaging, and consistent digital style, you’ll be well-placed to capture attention and win loyalty in this fast-growing market.
