Meat lovers urged to take one small step for our planet
- First ever World Meat Free Day taking place Monday 15th June to raise awareness of the issues surrounding meat sustainability
- Eating Better Alliance, Compassion in World Farming , Quorn, Cauldron and York Festival of Ideas join forces
- If 10 million people went meat-free for one meal*:
The amount of CO2 emissions saved would be the equivalent to driving around the world more than 2,438 times
5,700 acres of land would be protected – equivalent to 89,000 tennis courts
885 million calories would be saved
48 tonnes of saturated fat would be saved – equivalent to three and a half Big Bens
Meat has been a key part of most people’s diet for thousands of years but, with a growing global population expected to increase by 30%** to 9billion by 2050, the ‘unsustainable demand’ for protein is having significant effects on the environment. Experts predict that by 2050 meat production will have to increase by over 200m tonnes***, meaning there will be a 42 percent increase in global cropland and a 77 per cent increase in greenhouse gases coverif attitudes towards meat consumption don’t change.
In a bid to tackle the protein problem, the first ever ‘World Meat Free Day’ is due to take place on Monday 15th June. This not-for-profit initiative has been set up to raise awareness of the serious sustainability issues surrounding excessive meat consumption and aims to encourage people to pledge via the website - - togo meat-free for just one day.
For the first time, leading organisations including The Eating Better Alliance, Compassion in World Farming and Quorn have joined forces to collectively raise awareness of the advantages meat reduction has on health and the environment and urge a shift towards eating less meat and better quality meat when it is eaten.
If10 million people replaced the meat in just one meal, the amount of CO2 emissions saved would be the equivalent to driving around the world more than 2,430 times. In addition, a huge 5,700 acres
of land would be protected – that’s the equivalent to 89,000 tennis courts – or 35 times all the pitches in the entire English football league.Not to mention the health benefits meat reduction can have; if 10 million people pledged to eat meat-free for one meal 48 tonnes of saturated fat would be saved; the weight of three and half Big Bens.
Sue Dibb, Coordinator of the Eating Better Alliance, said “Eating less meat is a simple way to eat healthily and it’s better for the environment too. World Meat Free Day is a fantastic campaign that can really make a difference to the world we live in. Our research shows that 1 in 3 people are willing to consider eating less meat, with 1 in 5 already cutting back.”
“As an alliance, we areencouraging changes in the attitudes of businesses, governments and consumers, but we cannot do this alone. Every individual has the power to make change happen and we urge everyone to pledge before Monday 15th June to join this growing movement.”
Joyce D’Silva, Ambassador at Compassion in World Farming, said “Pledging not to eat meat for a day is a simple, positive solution that we can all be a part of. Eating too much meat is devastating for our health, the environment and causes suffering to animals.
“Eating less but only higher welfare meat allows us to eat well and reduce our impact on the environment”
Actress Joanna Lumley, who supports the initiative, said: “I support World Meat Free Day with all my heart. Just a day without eating meat might encourage people to think again how best we can save the planet.”
To further support the campaign, the Carbon Trust has recently completed a detailed new report, which finds that a greater diversity of main ingredient choices in the UK would lead to positive outcomes for health, society, and the environment through to 2030. The research reveals that building meals around a greater variety of protein-rich sources is a simple and effective rule, which would substantially improve the overall sustainability of British diets.
According to the Carbon Trust much of the sustainability benefit from diversity comes from replacing meat, and particularly red meat, with other main ingredient choices. Around three-quarters of the UK population eat meat every day, and only two per cent of the population are vegetarian.[1]
Tom Cumberlege, the Carbon Trust’s leading expert on food and agriculture, said: “Dietary choices do not change easily. We only know how to cook certain dishes, or we have emotional and cultural attachments to certain meals, such as a Sunday roast. But in the UK we are also a lot more adventurous in food choices than many other countries, embracing food from around the world. With this research we want to encourage people to ensure that they are being more diverse in their
main ingredient choices, safe in the knowledge that this will in most cases be better for their health, British society, and the planet.”
So take one small step for our planet, and go meat-free on Monday 15th June. Pledge here:
*replacing beef with a plant based protein.
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ENDS
Notes to editors
For further information, or to request an interview with a spokesperson, please contact the World Meat Free Day Press Office at or 0113 887 3873
About the Carbon Trust Report - The Case for Dietary Diversity: Accelerating the adoption of more sustainable eating patterns in the UK
The report examines the impact of the UK’s protein-rich main ingredient choices, investigating whether encouraging greater diversity in those choices could result in more sustainable diets by 2030.
The Carbon Trust has undertaken detailed research to understand the impact of some of the most popular main ingredients eaten today, as well as some less common options that have the potential for wider adoption. Based on research, recommendations are provided on the opportunities and
pathways for accelerating change towards more sustainable eating patterns in the UK. This includes the actions that can be taken by consumers, influencers, industry, government and regulators to support this transition.
About Eating Better Alliance
Eating Better: for a fair, green, healthy future ( is a broad alliance, to help people move towards eating less meat and more food that’s better for people and the planet, as part of the vital task of creating sustainable food and farming systems. The alliance brings together 46 national supporting organisations and partner networks, from health, environment, international development, animal welfare, producer, professional and faith interests (see full list:
About Compassion in World Farming
Compassion in World Farming is Europe’s leading farm animal welfare organisation working to end factory farming and to achieve humane and sustainable food. With headquarters in the UK, we have offices in France, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland, Brussels and the Czech Republic, as well as operating in the US, China and South Africa.
[1] UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey, 2014