Study finds diners want vegan food to be relabelled
The survey of 2,000 UK adults investigated attitudes to eating and ordering vegan food. Over half (52%) claimed that they are more likely to order something meat-free if it was labelled as ‘plant-based’ instead of ‘vegan’.
The research showed that taste is still top of the agenda, with a third of people (32%) choosing to eat vegan food out of home because they want to try something new and different. Nearly two fifths (38%) said that they would consider ordering more plant-based food if they could easily swap the meat out.
Morten Toft Bech, founder of Meatless Farm, said: “Food culture is changing, and with that we need to rethink social labels. Whether you’re vegan or not, plant-based meat has advanced significantly over the last five years and appeals to a broad audience. Our mission is to help restaurants give consumers the option to make it meatless on every dish, the same way you can request for a meal to be made gluten or dairy free.
“We’ve always been committed to encouraging more meat eaters to make the switch to plant-based meat, and these findings show that more people may join the veganism movement if wording is changed on menus."
Only half of people surveyed (50%) fully understand the meaning of the term ‘vegan’ and one in ten (9%) believe it only contains food green in colour.
Top Ten dishes Brits want to see go meatless:
- Lasagne
- Spaghetti Bolognese
- Beef Burger
- Roast Dinner
- Shepherd’s Pie
- Chicken Tikka Masala
- Bangers and Mash
- Chilli Con Carne
- All Day Breakfast
- Fried Chicken
Aaron Friend, senior category manager for plant-based at Brakes, added: “The findings of the research show how far we’ve come and enjoying plant based is now a natural choice for diners based on a multitude of factors. But you can forget long-held stereotypes, it’s no longer an alternative, it’s fast becoming the norm.
“Vegan products are definitely taking a bite out of more traditional meals. In fact, our biggest selling burger is now plant-based, and sales of plant-based burgers have more than doubled over the past year, alongside the range of plant-based products that we sell.”