Why Meatless Patties are Catching on in the UK
It will not have escaped your notice that veganism is on the rise in the UK. Indeed, more people than ever before are choosing to cut out all animal products – including meat, fish, dairy products and eggs – and base their diets around plant-based foods. Why is this, and what effect is it having? Choosing to be vegetarian has always been popular, but becoming a vegan is another step further, and takes some serious consideration. How many people are vegan in the UK, and is that number set to increase?
The Growth of Veganism in the UK
Such is the growth in popularity of the vegan diet in the UK that an enterprising American has moved to the UK and introduced the first range of veggie patties and plant-based burgers. Although, decades have passed since the veggie burgers were introduced in the UK, these are proving very popular nowadays and are a further sign that people are taking the vegan regime seriously.
Of course, meatless patties and burgers have existed in the UK – and in Europe – for many years, but the vegan example is a step further. Without using any meat or dairy products, the makers are now able to create delicious patties that are intended as an alternative to meat-based products, and that are eaten not just by vegetarians and flexitarians but by meat eaters too.
Now consider this: the Vegan Society, in a recent survey, concluded that there are around 600,000 people in the UK who choose to follow a vegan diet. That is a great number of people to cater for, and it is growing. There are more vegan women than there are men, and the figure above compares to some 150,000 vegans in the UK in 2006. It may have taken a long time to get to the numbers we see now, but the biggest jumps have come in the last few years. According to livekindly.com there will be an increase of vegans by 327%. This is a serious number and we can expect a growth in demand for plant-based patties not only in the UK but across Europe.
What does that translate to in monetary terms? In 2018, the market for meat-free foods was worth an amazing £750million. It is no surprise, then, that the major retailers are catering for the growing numbers of vegan buyers. Waitrose, for example, introduced its own dedicated vegan section in a large number of its stores in 2018. Even more surprising is that fast-food retailers have also introduced vegan products: Greggs, the high street bakers, famously began marketing a vegan pasty not long ago, while the likes of McDonalds, Burger King and KFC have all put vegan options on the menu. Meatless burgers are a big part of this market and options in this sector keep on growing exponentially. We talked about in one of our articles but aside from US patties on UK market, Brits have loads of options to choose form when it comes to domestically produced meatless patties. Some of them are even exported to the US. One such company is The Meatless Farm Co., Of course, there are many more and the list is growing. There are many cool restaurants and options across EU and UK that serve house made veggie plant-based patties, one that I like in particular is in Ireland, founded by a young couple, called VEGANKO serving amazing meatless burgers that are worth a try.
What has influenced the rise, and how do things look in the future for the plant-patties and plant-based burger supplier?
Social Media and Veganism
The rise in popularity of vegan foods is not just confined to the UK. Meat-free meat products are very popular across Europe, and that market is also showing signs of growth. There is no doubt, also, that social media has played a strong part in popularising the vegan diet. Many high-profile celebrities – particularly those followed by younger people such as singers Ariana Grande and Miley Cyrus – are notable vegans, as is the World Champion racing driver, Lewis Hamilton. These are role models who shape the way their fans lead their lives, so it is no surprise that they have an influence.
Social media also exerts its influence because it has highlighted the importance of healthy eating and keeping fit. Indeed, there are also smartphone apps that guide people through healthy eating options and fitness routines, and these are promoting the vegan lifestyle as one to follow. This is why the vegan patty, and the meat-free burgers, are only going to increase in popularity as more people – especially the younger generations – find that they enjoy vegan food more than they believed, and opt to move away from meat and dairy.
The environmentally friendly aspects of veganism are also of interest to a switched-on younger generation, as they seek to do their part to help the environment, and this is seen in online searches as queries about plant-based and vegan food rise.
Takeaway
It will be no surprise to see, with the projected growth figures showing an acceleration of the expansion of the market, an increase in UK start-ups making meat-free patties and burgers, as demand is clearly there. Enjoy these tasty dishes as you may find they are just what you need!