Half of Brits would ditch their favourite meat meal in favour of plant-based alternatives

MILLIONS have unveiled they are ready to ditch their favourite meat-based meals in favor of plant alternatives.

According to new research commission by Merchant Gourmet, comforting classics such as beef burgers and chicken curries will no longer be on the menu FOREVER for many.

Instead, Brits will be swapping them in for substitutes – thanks to the wealth of options now available.

The data follows the recent news that more Brits than ever are participating in the increasingly popular initiative, ‘Veganuary’, a month-long challenge where people adopt a plant-based-only diet.

Recent reports state that a whopping 500,000 people have signed up this year – double the number of people who took part in 2019. However, there is a desire from more to make the leap.

The research suggests that 36 per cent would consider participating, with health (68 per cent) and the environment (54 per cent) the two main factors motivating respondents.

Showing the size of the problem, if those willing to participate ate a hamburger once a day for a single month, their consumption of beef is contributing to more than 4 BILLION (4,743,360,000) monthly greenhouse gas emissions.

That is the equivalent of driving a regular petrol car 11.6 BILLION miles (11,644,560,000).

Furthermore, if every person in the UK replaced one more red-meat meal per week with a plant-based dish, it would reduce the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by 50M tonnes, equivalent to taking 16 million cars off the road[1]. 

And it’s not just good news for the environment, but our wallets too!

Going vegan could see you save THOUSANDS on your yearly shopping bill, with plant-based meals costing a staggering 40 per cent less than those that contain meat, fish, and dairy[2].

Although the appetite to fully embrace a sustainable diet, 25 per cent have “no clue” on how to make vegetables the focal point of the dish. 

To inspire the nation, Vegan superstar and cookbook author, Gaz Oakley, has been challenged by Merchant Gourmet, the leading pulses, and grains brand, to replicate the UK’s favourite dishes in plant-based form.

Curated to celebrate the brands transition in becoming a fully-plant based brand this year, the recipes will be made from pulses and vegetables, discovering that over half of Brits dislike ‘fake meat’ products.

Recipes from the series include the hearty roast dinner and humble shepherd’s pie – two of the nation’s go-to dinners.

According to the data, swapping out traditional meat meals for the vegan versions can decrease your carbon footprint by an average of 78 per cent (table in notes)  

Gaz Oakley, Brand Ambassador for Merchant Gourmet, commented on the partnership; “Whilst veganism has seen a huge spike in recent years, I’ve teamed up with Merchant Gourmet and we’re on a mission to keep the momentum up.  

“We’re both passionate about the impact that following a plant-based diet has on the environment and on people's health, so we’re here to help Brits eat more veggies and less meat!  

“Starting a plant-based diet can feel a bit intimidating but fear not! We have done all the work and created some fantastic recipes that are easy to make. You definitely won’t be missing your Roast Dinner or Chicken Curry when you try our plant-based Lentil Roast and curry.” 

Richard Peake, Managing Director at Merchant Gourmet, said; “At the heart of everything we do is the fundamental belief that a world where people eat more plant-based foods will benefit our planet and our health. However, we know that the concepts of eating less meat, and saving the planet can feel completely overwhelming.  

“We want to help people on this journey by making it simple and easy. Simple products, simple ingredients you can pronounce, and delivered in a format this is simple to prepare. We are thrilled to be partnering with Gaz, he shares our values, and has shown just how easy and delicious it can be to create plant-based alternatives to some of our favourite dishes.  

“We are super excited to be working with him moving forwards to help tackle the climate crisis one delicious Plant-Based meal at a time”.