Millions of flexitarian Britons plan to eat more vegetarian food this year in a bid to be more environmentally friendly.
A poll of 2,000 adults found 31 per cent plan to eat more meat-free products in 2021 compared to last year.
Londoners are embracing plant-based food more than any other region, followed by those in the west Midlands and the south west.
Many appear to have the environment at the forefront of their mind but others are more concerned about their social media profiles.
One in five want to be seen to be ‘doing their part’ in Veganuary, while 45 per cent simply don’t feel the need to eat meat every single day.
The average adult reckons more than one-quarter of their meals in January will be meat-free. This would come to over than 1.2 billion meals across the UK
It also seems that those aged 18-34 will eat the least meat.
A spokesman from Rustlers, a burger brand which commissioned the survey said: “In recent years we’ve embraced new lifestyles and adopted different attitudes towards diet, with reducing our meat intake firmly on the agenda.”
They added: “January is always a popular time to try reducing our meat, with a number of people likely to be taking on Veganuary or trying to use the new year as a time to try something new.”
More than half of those polled said they thought vegetarian meat alternatives taste a lot better now than they used to, with meat-free burgers, sausages and mince the most popular.
Food psychologist, Greg Tucker, said: “January is a new start and people feel more motivated to try something different”
Mr Tucker added: “more people are now making the switch to a flexitarian diet and cutting down on their meat intake, which is more environmentally friendly – it’s no longer ‘Doing Without’ but ‘Doing Better’.”
