Demand For Vegan Food Makes Meat Sales Fall

Meat sales dropped dramatically in the UK, thanks mainly to the boom in vegan food, according to The Grocer. 

The rise of veganism and more consumers experimenting with a plant-based diet made meat sales fall by £184.6 million in 2019. In January the meat industry will come under pressure again, as Veganuary starts with over 300,000 people signing up to ditch meat for the whole month. 

The Grocer magazine's annual review of Britons' shopping habits shows that they are spending millions of pounds more on alcohol, fizzy drinks, chocolate and snacks. 

Chocolate sales climbed by £183 million because producers rolled out new interesting products and because dark chocolate, in particular, is now seen as healthy.

The uncertainty over Brexit made the Brits drink more, smoke more and enjoy comfort food. Brexit political saga of the latest months made many people hold back on eating out, holidays and buying expensive items but has boosted sales of many food products showing that the shoppers are reaching for indulgent treats. 

The magazine informs that customers are more budget-conscious now and moving away from more expensive brands and higher prices to cheaper alternatives.

Mike Watkins, an analyst at Nielsen, said: 'There's been uncertainty all year and it hasn't fundamentally stopped us from shopping for groceries.'

The Grocer added: 'That's partly because food is in a good place compared with many other industries. Groceries are, ultimately, a necessary expense. Budget-conscious Brits may decide not to go on holiday, invest in a car or buy a new coat, but they still have to buy groceries.'

'What's more, the sector often benefits from consumers cutting back on discretionary spend elsewhere, such as going for a meal out.'

Ben Morrison, Nielsen's head of commercial grocery, added: 'Indulgent categories do well when consumer confidence dips. As a nation, when the going gets tough, we reach for the chocolate.'