Sales of bacon, sausages to shrink in 2022 as half of Britons limit meat intake: Mintel

There has been a significant increase in the number of Britons limiting their meat eating, says a new research from Mintel, stating that almost half of the population are now limiting their meat intake or not eating it at all.

Just under half (49 per cent) of Britons are now limiting their meat intake or not eating it at all, up from four in ten (41 per cent) in 2020 – and almost back in line with 2019 levels where the figure stood at 51 per cent, says Mintel report.

There has been a significant increase in the number of Britons limiting/reducing their meat eating (31 per cent in 2020 versus 38 per cent in 2021), the number of Britons not eating red meat or poultry has remained largely unchanged (10 per cent in 2020 versus 11 per cent in 2021).

The trend towards meat reduction comes as sales of sausages, bacon and burgers dropped an estimated – 4.3 per cent in 2021 falling to £2,628 million, following the 2020 high when sales increased 22 per cent reaching £2,755 million. Sales are predicted to fall further in 2022.

Meanwhile, sales of meat substitutes are estimated to have increased by 9 per cent in 2021, reaching £598 million, albeit at a slower rate of growth than 2020.

Helping the environment is seen as the number one benefit from meat reduction, greater than helping consumers manage their weight or saving money.  Other benefits include reducing the risk of disease and feeling good.

Richard Caines, Mintel Senior Food & Drink Analyst said:

“While sales of processed meat still benefited in 2021 from more meals being eaten at home, they slipped back from their 2020 high. Meat reduction has returned to around the level seen in 2019, following a dip in 2020 when other priorities likely became more pressing in food and drink choices. This includes people seeking comfort and familiarity during the first COVID-19 lockdown.

“The fact that nearly half of adults now either don’t eat meat/poultry or are limiting intake poses a challenge for the meat industry and points to vast further potential for meat substitutes’ growth, if they can win favour as the alternative. It also offers compelling evidence of how media coverage around meat has reached consumers, with eating less meat widely associated with various benefits.

“However, meat brands can fight back by drawing attention to the essential nutrients these foods can provide, in order to help to highlight and bolster their health credentials, whilst providing more details on the ‘how’ and ‘who’ of the farm to fork journey – which can also boost consumer trust.”