UK consumers are causing a spike in demand for green veg such as leeks, cabbage, and spinach, due to a rise in home- cooking, more people reducing meat and becoming interested in plant-based diet, and of course due to the influence of Veganuary. Leeks have risen 30%, cabbage +25%, broccoli +20%, and even sprouts are +10%.
Tesco says it is working with growers to supply more greens to keep up with increased demand.
Tesco fresh vegetables buyer Ben Rowbotham said to Market Screener: “The popularity of greens is soaring right now and it’s down to a combination of the current plant-based revolution and lockdown which is giving people more time to cook from scratch and eat more healthily.”
A study last June showed that a quarter of British millennials stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has made a vegan diet more appealing. Mintel research also indicated that there is a strong belief in the healing power of plants, as half of Brits (51%) believe plant/botanical ingredients (e.g. herbs, spices) can have medicinal benefits.
