Latest figures suggest that there are four million vegetarians in the UK, while a further three million do not eat some types of meat or fish. The number of vegetarian restaurants has risen by half in the last four years and a recent survey suggests that a quarter (23%) of Brits call themselves “meat-reducers”. Meanwhile, according to the Vegetarian and Vegan Society, vegetarians are on average up to 20 per cent slimmer than meat eaters.

An Oxford University study showed that nearly 50,000 lives a year could be saved if Brits ate meat no more than two or three times a week, suggesting that these “meat-reducers” are on the right track. The negative health implications of excessive meat consumption are widespread and well known, yet research has shown that when it comes to our dining decisions, taste is more important than anything else, which could explain the 20% of Brits who eat meat every day.

While UK opinion is clearly divided when it comes to meat in our diets, the quality of meat-free substitutes and ‘vegetarian alternatives’ has also been brought into question in a recent survey, with around 25% of vegetarians left unimpressed with the vegetarian ranges offered at supermarkets and 76% of vegetarians not happy with the choice available to them in fast food restaurants.