
Multinationals embrace veganism
What’s more, such products have already proven to be an effective way to boost sales. Last summer during a trial of their vegan “Imposter” burger, ‘finger-licking’ food giant KFC sold one burger a minute during the first days following the launch. Also keen to capitalise on the meat-free trend, McDonald’s are set to introduce a Veggie Dippers meal this month in a bid to keep fast-food lovers who have turned over a new (meat-free) leaf into their restaurants. With over 600,000 Vegans currently living in the UK, (a figure which is expected to double), is it time for business owners to adapt to and benefit from the nation’s dairy and meat ditching diet?Palate change + climate change = veganism?
- A quarter of Brits drank plant-based milk in 2019, (19% increase from 2018)
- 1 in 3 Brits have stopped or reduced their meat consumption
- In 2018, the UK launched more vegan products than any nation
The proof is in the ‘plant-based’ pudding

A ‘drive’ in the right direction

“But the key to that success isn’t vegans, it’s people who want to eat a little less meat – maybe one or two meat-free meals a week. They try our products and realise that the experience is so similar to eating meat that it can easily become a part of their regular routine. The market is built not on people using all their willpower to be vegan, but on people trying meat-free meals and thinking,” adds Bishti.
What’s ‘the beef’?
The Times reported that 3.6 million fewer animals were eaten in the first six months of 2019. And while this may be good news for the environment, how does it affect the traditional livestock and dairy industry in the UK? Purchases of dairy products saw a substantial decrease last year, with one dairy farmer leaving the industry every week. What’s more, farmers saw their profits drop by as much as 50% in 2018/2019, FarmingUK reports. This does not paint a promising picture for the traditional meat and dairy industry, with a report by Rethinking Food and Agriculture, 2020-2030 predicting that the dairy and beef industries will “totally collapse” by 2030.The future for meat and dairy
Dairy-free milk is now the choice drink for 25% of Britons, solidifying the lack of longevity in some traditional food production industries. And while the vegan trend can be a great commercial opportunity for food retailers to improve their CSR and gain a new customer base, will it decimate the meat and dairy industry? Or is it able to innovate in some way to survive, even if that someway is switching to the production of vegan products?Share this story