Half of Europeans are reducing their meat consumption - New study

Nearly 50% of UK consumers are cutting down on their meat consumption according to a new report by the Smart Protein Project.

The survey was take in ten European countries and included more than 7,500 people. The results show that 48% of UK adults are reducing the amount of meat they eat. The survey was carried out by ProVeg International, in partnership with Innova Market Insights, the University of Copenhagen and Ghent University, as part of the Smart Protein Project, funded by European Union.

More consumers buy plant-based milk and meat

The survey also show that consumers keep buying alternative proteins and plant-based milk.
From those who buy plant-based meats, 22% choose plant-based chicken or beef, while 19% buy plant-based pork or seafood alternatives.
According to the survey, 35% of consumers buy plant-based milk at least once a week.

When asked what was preventing them from shopping for plant-based products, 43% of UK respondents cited price, while 37% said that they don’t taste good enough.

Smart Protein co-ordinator, Professor Emanuele Zannini PhD, believes that plant-based food products need to include better information about the ingredients they are made with in order to become more popular.
He said: “This will encourage more and more consumers - including the more sceptical ones - to embrace, with more confidence, a shift towards a better diet for their health and for the planet. This is a clear target for food scientists and food ingredient industries​.”