Brits are eating more meat and turning away from vegan food as sales of plant-based grub slump

CONSUMERS are turning away from vegan foods — while meat eating is on the up.

Beyond Meat, the brand leader for plant-based grub, has seen revenues fall by nine per cent.

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It has led to the company — backed by the likes of Bill Gates and Leonardo Di­Caprio and behind McDonald’s vegan McPlant offering — to cut a fifth of its staff.

Overall, sales of meat alternatives are down 13.6 per cent in a year.

Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons have cut their vegan offerings by ten per cent.

Experts say the decline has come on the back of several years of strong growth.

Meanwhile, consumption of meat in the UK is on the rise with the average person scoffing 134lb in 2022, compared with 121lb in 2012.

And new trends for how meat is prepared are helping the shift — with “smash burgers” the latest craze.

It involves “smashing” the beef patty on to the heat with a spatula to sear the outside of the meat and lock in the juices and flavour.

Smash burger chains such as Supernova, Bleecker Burger, Black Bear Burger and Beefy Boys have been springing up in high streets.

And industry experts say the nationwide trend is developing a “cult-like” following.

Adam Layton, of Honest Burgers, which has 40 UK outlets, said there was a definite rise in the popularity of smash burgers.

He added: “There’s always been trends in burgers, this is the next wave and there’s a lot of interest from social media.”

Food blogger Toby Inskip claims the smash trend has “revolutionised” the burger.

He said: “It’s made something that was always quite dry and boring, exciting and aesthetically pleasing.”