Public are willing to reduce meat consumption, but perception gap remains
A new Eating Better x Food Foundation survey finds that public willingness to reduce meat consumption is growing, but misconceptions persist.
The 2025 Eating Better x Food Foundation Public Attitudes Survey reveals a striking perception gap: while two-thirds of people are open to the idea of reducing how much meat they eat, the majority of the population believe that fewer than 40% of people would be open to doing so.
This nationally representative survey of 1,733 people, commissioned by Eating Better and the Food Foundation and carried out by Savanta, explores what drives people to reduce their meat intake, the barriers that stand in the way, and attitudes towards alternatives such as beans and pulses.
Sarah Wakefield, Executive Director of Eating Better says: “Many people feel alone in their desire to eat less meat, but in fact the majority of the country are open to reducing the amount of meat they eat. We all have our different reasons, but it’s clear that the desire for the meat we do eat to be better produced for the welfare of animals and lower environmental impact is key for many people.”
Key findings:
1. Public willingness to reduce meat consumption is growing, but misconceptions persist.
2. Animal welfare, affordability, and provenance outweigh climate and health as drivers of change.
3. Beans and pulses present a major untapped opportunity.
Why this matters
The findings show that public appetite for change is greater than many assume. Yet this misperception can have a powerful influence on decision-making in businesses and government policy: if the actors of the Better by Half Roadmap believe the public is resistant, they may be less willing to act. Closing the perception gap is therefore vital to give confidence to food system actors that they can, and must, move faster in enabling equal access to healthier and more sustainable diets.
What next?
Eating Better will continue to build on these findings, carrying out deeper dives into specific themes – such as health – to support understanding and stronger arguments for action.
The Food Foundation, along with partners Veg Power and Kent Student Union and in collaboration with Beans is How and Birmingham City Council, are due to launch a major new campaign championing beans this November, highlighting their role in healthy and sustainable diets. The campaign has been generously funded by the National Lottery, and will run a digital campaign as well as working with food businesses and schools to boost bean consumption across the UK. Visit the Food Foundation and Veg Power websites to find out more and to register your support.
“Beans are the ultimate ‘superfood’, and a win-win-win when it comes to health, environmental and affordability goals. So we are incredibly excited to be kicking off a new three-year programme of work to boost bean consumption thanks to the support of the National Lottery. With rapidly rising levels of diet related disease in the UK, and the impacts of climate change increasingly being felt, now is the perfect moment for a campaign to boost UK bean consumption. These latest findings from Eating Better show that the public appetite is there for change - all of us working on food system transformation now need to seize the opportunity and deliver.” Rebecca Tobi, Senior Business and Investor Engagement Manager at the Food Foundation
The full findings of the survey are available in our new report.
