The Vegan Society has condemned a UK advertising campaign promoting the consumption of red meat, which has been launched by the government-sponsored Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
According to The Vegan Society, the Let’s Eat Balanced campaign is “irresponsible propaganda”, since it contradicts recommendations by health and sustainability bodies. The charity points out that NHS guidance recommends eating no more than 70g of red or processed meat per day, since these products have been linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer by the World Health Organization.
While the AHDB campaign suggests eating meat as a source of protein and vitamin B12, the British Dietetic Association (BDA) says these nutrients can be easily obtained on a plant-based diet. Furthermore, the BDA recognises that plant-based diets “can support healthy living at every age and life stage”, and can be used as “an intervention to improve health outcomes”.
Earlier this year, an analysis conducted by the Office of Health Economics and funded by The Vegan Society found that the NHS could save around £6.7 billion per year if everyone in the UK adopted a plant-based diet. There would also be an estimated 2.1 million fewer cases of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, cataracts, type 2 diabetes, diverticular disease, and obesity.
“Behind the times”
A previous iteration of the Let’s Eat Balanced campaign was criticised earlier this year by The Doctors’ Association UK and Plant-Based Health Professionals UK, who said the advertisements made “inaccurate and misleading” claims about nutrition. The organisations also condemned the campaign for going against the government’s own climate and health guidance, which states that “A diet rich in plant-based foods, and lower in animal source foods which have a significant environmental impact, has benefits for health and the environment”.
“Other governments are already taking advantage of the opportunities afforded by a transition to plant-based eating and the adverts released by the AHDB make the UK look increasingly behind the times,” said Claire Ogley, Head of Campaigns, Policy and Research at The Vegan Society. “In the last few months, Germany, Austria, and Norway have begun to recommend eating less meat and more plant foods in their dietary guidelines.
“Medical professionals including The Doctors Association UK and Plant-Based Health Professionals, backed by the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, have already condemned the campaign. We join them in calling for the government to begin promoting sustainable, healthy plant-based diets and put a stop to outdated marketing campaigns that push yesterday’s food onto today’s generation.”
