New research by finance comparison website, finder.com, has found that 22 per cent of the population will be following a meat-free diet by the end of 2019.
This figure equates to 12 million people, and will almost double as 6.5 million people in the UK population currently eat a meat-free diet.
Finder.com has found that those choosing to be vegetarian will living on the cheapest diet, with this lifestyle costing an average of £1,545 a year – a staggering £457 less than a meat eater’s diet, costing an average of £2,002.
Veganism was noted as the most expensive diet financially, coming in at £2,073 annually, but this works out at only £2 more per week. Whilst it comes in as the most expensive diet, veganism is renowned for its lower carbon footprint and overall environmental impact compared to those with animal products included.
If veganism continues to soar, Brits will be spending an extra £4.6 billion on vegan food, which will significantly help the plant-based sector grow and continue to thrive.
It is expected that 2.2 million people are going to be taking up veganism, increasing the number of vegans by 327 per cent, totalling 2.9 million people leading a vegan diet.
UK CEO at finder.com, Jon Ostler commented on the study, saying: “With the rise of vegan-friendly products, such as Greggs’ vegan sausage roll, it’s important to be savvy and shop around to make sure you’re getting the best prices.
“Like any diet, there are ways to avoid falling into traps with overprices speciality products. A little bit of research and intuitiveness in the kitchen can go a long way. It will also be worth keeping an eye on how Brexit may impact the price of food that we import into the UK.”
The study also found that younger people are the most likely demographic to make this change, with only 63 per cent of post-millennials (those born after 1996), still eating meat.
The lack of dietary change grows stronger with older generations – 94 per cent of those born before 1945 eat meat, and 86 per cent of baby boomers do, too.