A recent survey by Leatherhead Food Research investigated 999 adults in the UK, revealing that 74% of households have consciously decided to reduce their consumption of red meat products, with 40% consuming ‘a bit less red meat’ and over a third (35%) of UK families introducing at least one weekly dedicated meat-free day this year.
The most cited motivation, as is the case with almost all of such surveys, was personal health (55%), but some respondants did cite concern for the environmental impact of meat production, especially young people aged between 16-35 (51%). Once again it has been demonstrated that young people are increasingly more aware and conscious about their food and purchasing choices.
Cindy Beeren, Operations Director, at Leatherhead, believes that flexitarianism is a lasting trend that will shape the long-term future of the food industry: “People are becoming more purposeful about food choices in the home, so manufacturers and retailers are changing their offering to meet evolving demands.”
“As this trend gathers momentum, it raises lots of questions about the options for new meat-free products. We expect to see a surge of innovation in this area, focusing on everything from sensory aspects, such as taste and texture, to the nutritional profiling of food.”
