Not everyone is turning vegan or seeking out a plant-based diet

Given the amount of publicity generated in the food media on new plant based launches – combined with the success of Veganuary where around half a million consumers signed up to pledge a vegan diet for a month – you would be forgiven for thinking that barely anyone was still eating meat and dairy.

According to a YouGov survey over 60% of UK consumers say they are unlikely to follow a plant-based diet over 2021, but still close to a quarter of those aged 25-35 and also 55+ claim they are likely or very likely to do so.

Many consumers are not sure what a plant-based diet really means.  Most believe it means cutting out meat and sometimes dairy completely, where others see it as following a vegan or vegetarian diet.

The reasons for following a plant-based diet were most commonly, ‘I don’t agree with eating meat’ and then, ‘think it is more environmentally sustainable’.  When asked whether they thought plant-based foods were healthier than those derived from animals, the most common response (39%) was ‘neither agree nor disagree’.  Younger consumers (18-34) were the groups who most favour processed meat free foods such as Quorn, meat free sausages and burgers, according to the research.

During the pandemic sales of plant-based foods have rocketed – Kantar report that both meat-free and plant based dairy categories have doubled in size over the last 5 years and each has a market value of just under £600m.  But it isn’t yet clear how much of that growth is pandemic related or just part of its natural momentum – and both regular dairy and meat were also among the top 10 category performers over 2020.