The prospect of a vegan diet packed with chickpeas, lentils, and quinoa appears to be more tempting as of late, according to a report from market intelligence agency Mintel. The research states that a quarter (25%) of young British Millennials (aged 21-30) say that the COVID-19 pandemic has made a vegan diet more appealing. A vegan diet is proving more attractive to over one in ten (12%) of all British citizens, rising to almost a quarter (22%) of London residents since the start of the pandemic.
This comes as Mintel research indicates there is a strong belief in the healing power of plants, as half of Brits (51%) believe plant or botanical ingredients can have medicinal benefits.
The report shows that a third of Gen Z (aged 20 and under) and Millennials (21-40) are most likely to be keeping their fridges well-stocked with fresh produce. Two thirds (66%) of British citizens believe consuming vitamin C helps support the immune system. Overall, almost two in five (37%) Brits say the COVID-19 outbreak has prompted them to add more nutrients that support the immune system to their diet.
“People want the world to change for the better right now and they are searching for ways to show compassion. For consumers struggling to know how to make a positive difference, cutting out animal protein may be seen as a way of tackling the climate crisis, showing compassion for nature, and boosting their own nutrient intake. Even before the spread of COVID-19, we were seeing a growing interest in plant-based food and drink across global markets. It may well be that the pandemic is accelerating this trend. For example, in China, we’ve seen skyrocketing sales of the new plant-based meat options in KFC and Pizza Hut,” Alex Beckett, Associate Director, Mintel Food & Drink said.
Finally, Mintel research reveals that the virus has created a long-term interest in cooking and baking as more than half (55%) of the nation say they plan on cooking more post-COVID-19 than they did before.