Meat-free meals within the out-of-home market elevated by 23.1% year-on-year, forward of spend development for meat, fish and poultry meals, based on the Agriculture and Horticulture Growth Board (AHDB).

The spend on meat-free meals exterior of the house totalled £3.7 billion within the 12 months ending January 22, 2023, based on figures from Kantar.

The demand for meat-free meals edged forward of spend development for meat, fish and poultry, which noticed a rise of 17.3% year-on-year.

Nonetheless, retail perception supervisor at AHDB, Rebecca Gladman, mentioned the variety of people consuming meals freed from meat has seen a plateau, which she hyperlinks to inflation.

“The proportion of households shopping for into meat-free prior to now 12 months was 70.6%,” she mentioned.

“It’s key to do not forget that these meat-free meals incorporate dishes that simply don’t embrace meat, however are nonetheless on a regular basis meals (resembling cheese sandwiches).

“Regardless of this, the penetration for meat, fish and poultry continues to be a lot greater, at 90.6%.”

Gladman mentioned, on the subject of the highest dishes consumed, most are nonetheless meat, fish and poultry-driven, with 97% of burgers being meat or poultry-based.

“Almost 9 in ten Asian-cuisine meals embrace meat, fish or poultry, whereas 80% of Indian-cuisine meals had meat, fish or poultry,” she mentioned.

“As well as, repeat charges for meat-free are a lot decrease, at 40%, than the 96% seen for meat, fish and poultry. This highlights how shoppers discover meat, fish and poultry to be a dependable possibility when out of dwelling.”