More Than One Quarter of Brits Slash Meat Intake

A new study compiled by market research firm Mintel found that 28 percent of British residents have drastically reduced their meat intake in the six-month period ending in March 2017. The study also found that 54 percent of people cited animal welfare as the main reason for ditching meat, with environmental reasons being most important to those under 25 years of age. Overall, women under 25 years of age are most likely to follow a meatless diet, while 50 percent of Brits have sampled meat-free products within the study period. “Lifestyle trends are helping to broaden the appeal of these products,” Mintel Senior Food Analyst Emma Clifford said. “Most notably, many consumers are becoming more vigilant about the amount of meat in their diet. Increased innovation, with a big new product development push from brands in 2016, and growing mainstream availability of these products, has also underpinned this positive performance.” The consumption of meat in the United Kingdom has dropped since the World Health Organization re-classified processed meat in the same carcinogenic category as cigarettes in 2015.