TRENDS: Between 2008 and 2019, the average daily meat consumption in the UK fell by around 17g per person with the greatest reduction in cow and processed flesh, a new study by researchers from the University of Oxford has found.

The study, published in The Lancet this month, analysed data which showed that consumers were eating 30 per cent less cow and 55 per cent less sheep in 2019 compared to 2008, although consumption of chicken and other ‘white meat’ had risen.

However, the number of animals consumed is still not dropping quickly enough to meet national targets set by the National Food Strategy of 30 per cent over the next decade, scientists said.

“The proportion of meat consumers has decreased over time, whereas the proportion of individuals identifying as vegetarian and vegan has increased,” said researchers. “Understanding meat-consumption trends within subgroups of the UK population could help to tailor public health policies and behavioural interventions to accelerate the reduction in meat consumption to meet dietary targets for health and the environment.”

"We now know we need a more substantial reduction," lead researcher Cristina Stewart from the University of Oxford told the BBC. "You don't have to be vegetarian, although, in general, meat-free dishes will have a lower [environmental] impact.”

The study used data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, the only survey to capture nationally representative data on food consumption across the UK from 15,000 respondents. Researchers were also able to link data from six major environmental indicators allowing them to explore how the impact of meat on the world around us has changed over the same period.

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The results align with an earlier Family Food Survey from the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra), which also revealed a drop in the weekly purchase of meat by UK households.

The Oxford study reveals interesting trends within age groups. While it is generally believed that meat consumption is dropping faster among Millenials and Generation Z - with a survey from the Eating Better Alliance reporting that 63 per cent of those aged 11–18 years considered climate change one of the most important issues for the country and 25 per cent of people aged 18 years already identifying as vegetarian or vegan - the Oxford study found that “Boomers” (those born before 1960) consistently ate less meat over time. 

However, Oxford researchers said that respondents in the youngest group were 19 years or younger, meaning that their eating habits were more likely to be those of their household rather than their personal choice or a reflection of their beliefs.

The UK Committee on Climate Change has set a target of a 20 per cent reduction in cow, sheep and dairy consumption by 2050, which researchers said was achievable given the observed trends. However, it falls short of the estimated 89 per cent reduction in the consumption of beef needed to stay within planetary limits, which scientists said would require a more substantial change in diets and intervention by policymakers.

Andrew Gough is Media and Investigations Manager for Surge.

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