British consumers are increasingly turning towards plant-based diets amid the coronavirus pandemic
With scientists and experts urging the public to go vegan to help to avoid future pandemics such as coronavirus, it’s no surprise that interest in vegan diets has risen in recent months.
According to new data from market research firm Mintel, a staggering one in 10 Brits (12%) say the COVID-19 pandemic has ‘made a vegan diet more appealing’.
Young British Millenials (aged 21-30) are leading the way with a quarter (25%) saying they are interested in plant-based diets, along with almost a quarter (22 percent) of Londoners.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mintel attributes the growth in interest to people ‘searching for ways to show compassion’ and looking for ways to add more nutrients to their diets to support their immune systems.
Alex Beckett, associate director, Mintel Food & Drink, said: “For consumers struggling to know how to make a
positive difference, cutting out animal protein may be seen as a way of tackling the climate crisis, showing
compassion for nature, and boosting their own nutrient intake.”
Beckett added that one of the attractions of plant-based products for younger people looking for convenient, fresh food that did not
take long to prepare is that much of it has a longer shelf life.
“But under lockdown, with more time at home and no restaurants or cafes open for business, long-life food has
had clear advantages.
“It doesn’t take up precious fridge space and lasts a good while, making it suitable for quarantine-living and resulting in fewer shopping trips. It’s affordable, often nutritious, and, in the case of tinned veg or fruit, suits our rekindled fondness for cooking from scratch.”
Coronavirus: What does it mean for farmed animals? Find out here.
