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Make plant-based meat ‘tastier and more affordable’ to fight climate change

The UK’s Climate Change Committee is calling for tastier, more affordable plant-based meat offerings as part of measures to counteract the nation’s environmental impact.

The committee – an independent public body established under the Climate Change Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the UK and devolved governments on emissions targets – published its statutory annual report last month.

The Seventh Carbon Budget outlines advice on carbon budgets, targets, and progress for 2038 to 2042. It calls for producers to develop tastier and more affordable plant-based meats, both to satisfy consumer demand and provide environmental solutions.

It also argues that increasing plant-based food consumption would drive significant health benefits, outlining the adoption of plant-based meats as one of a series of measures to tackle the climate impact of UK consumers’ diets.

However, concerns around taste and affordability present challenges for the uptake and popularity of plant-based meat and other alternative proteins.

“While products such as plant-based meat are becoming increasingly mainstream choices – bought by more than a quarter of UK adults once a month, according to the Food Standards Agency’s research – people routinely cite factors like taste and affordability as the main barriers stopping them from buying plant-based foods,” Alice Ravenscroft, head of policy at nonprofit and think tank the Good Food Institute (GFI) Europe, told Ingredients Network.

Environmental impact of meat

The Climate Change Committee’s analysis anticipates that the agriculture industry – currently responsible for 11% of UK greenhouse gas emissions – will be the second highest-emitting sector in 2040 after aviation.

However, as stated in its latest report, a shift to lower-carbon foods is one proactive move towards tackling climate change.

This could be achieved if average meat consumption declines by 25% by 2040 and 35% by 2050, compared with 2019, with a steeper decrease in red meat consumption of 40% by 2050, to mirror the higher carbon intensity of ruminant livestock.

The pathway is informed by a downward trend in red meat consumption in recent years and the health benefits of reducing consumption. A 2023 research study highlighted that introducing fiscal measures and facilitating innovations in meat alternatives could reduce average dairy consumption by 20% by 2035, maintained to 2040 and 2050.

Organisations and leaders are pursuing new agricultural methods and food innovations to change these forecasts, contributing to a circular economy and reducing environmental reliance and pressures.

Peer-reviewed research indicates that plant-based meat produces up to 94% fewer emissions than conventional meat. Furthermore, a separate analysis has found that because options such as plant-based meat require less land, they can enable higher rates of domestic food production and a lower reliance on imports.

Novel protein development paves progress

Recognising the nutritional benefits of plant-based meat, the Climate Change Committee advises the UK government that increased consumption of plant-based options would result in health benefits. In the UK alone, plant-based meat and other alternative proteins have the potential to deliver £6.8 billion to the economy annually by 2035.

According to GFI Europe’s analysis of retail sales data, consumers spent nearly £1bn on plant-based meat products in 2023. Meanwhile, research from the UK Food Standards Agency’s research found that more than a quarter (27%) of UK adults buy plant-based meat once a month.

However, despite the rise of its popularity, a citizens’ panel organised by the Climate Change Committee said that lower plant-based food pricing and diverse product options are crucial to making these varieties more attractive. Producing cheaper plant-based meat and dairy options may reduce consumer household food costs in the long term.

As part of its recommended pathway, the committee advises the UK government to replace meat products with existing alternative protein products such as plant-based burgers and some plant-based whole foods.

Later, novel alternative protein innovations will help the sector to evolve, using technologies such as precision fermentation to create products with similar taste and texture to meat.

Companies such as Spain’s Heura, Switzerland’s Planted, and Germany’s Happy Ocean Foods are developing new approaches in wider Europe. These aim to use traditional technologies like fermentation to produce rich meaty flavours and enhance nutritional profiles.

“But the plant-based field remains in its infancy, and there are huge opportunities for brands and manufacturers to respond to these challenges and develop more affordable, tastier products,” said Ravenscroft.

“Novel protein sources are absolutely key to transforming our food system and creating a more sustainable and healthier future,” said Professor Anwesha Sarkar, project leader for the National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC), which is examining how to make options such as plant-based meat more appealing to consumers.

“By driving the development of tasty, healthy, affordable, accessible alternative protein solutions, we can create a resilient, nutritious, and future-ready food ecosystem.”

Ravenscroft added: “Other alternative proteins, such as cultivated meat and precision fermentation – once approved by European regulators – offer exciting potential as ingredients that can be incorporated into plant-based foods, delivering flavours and textures that can more closely mimic conventional meat and dairy.”