Food security is an increasingly urgent challenge for the UK. Our research has assessed four major risks to the average UK shopping basket: rising food prices, water scarcity, livestock disease and climate-related supply chain disruption. In each case, we found that diets high in meat increase exposure to these shocks and price volatility because meat production requires significant amounts of land, water and imported animal feed.

In this new analysis, we find that replacing 17 per cent of red and processed meat purchases every week with UK grown bean and pulse based meals could save households £95 a year and would contribute to major water savings and a healthier and more resilient UK food system.

For more information, contact: 

Mathilda Dunn, policy analyst