UK supermarket Sainsbury’s has predicted that one quarter of the UK population will ditch meat by 2025.

The company has published its Future of Food report, which predicts that Brits will continue to move towards a plant-based diet.

The report outlines how Sainsbury’s is preparing for the vegan revolution to continue to accelerate over the coming years.

Sainsbury’s has also predicted new a ‘sin tax’ to be introduced for meat due to its environmental and health impacts.

James Wong, Plant Scientist at Sainsbury’s, said: “Britons are changing their diets to eating less meat. Today, flexitarians, who are those actively reducing their meat consumption, make up a fifth of Britons, while vegetarians account for an eighth of the national population.

“Vegans, those who eat no meat, are still in the minority at around 600,000 in the UK. However, with the rise of an ecologically aware new generation, driven by health concerns and environmental determination, vegetarians (including vegans) look set to make up a quarter of  British people in 2025, and flexitarians just under half of all UK consumers.”

Sainsbury’s has seen a 24% increase in customers searching for vegan products online, and a 65% increase in sales of plant-based products year-on-year.

The supermarket is already getting ahead of the game, and has led the way in launching its own vegan range.

Sainsbury’s stocks a huge range of products from vegan brand Plant Power and also has an extensive vegan makeup line.

What do you think of Sainsbury’s predictions? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Oli Gross

Oli’s career and personal ethical values both help shape his reporting of the diverse world of veganism. His background is in local newspaper and magazine journalism, and his work has included reporting court cases, celebrity interviews, business analysis, food and drink features and government legislation.

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