Around 80 per cent of Australians are opting for meat-free days every week, research by consumer intelligence platform Toluna has found. Toluna said rapid changes in Australian’s diets are being driven by health concerns.
More than 1000 people were interviewed, with one in five (20 per cent) eating meat every day. The survey found six per cent never ate meat.
Looking at meat eaters, a quarter had attempted to reduce their meat intake, with 19 per cent saying they were planning to reduce it in the future. Toluna found that almost half of the respondents aimed to have meat 1-2 days a week, with 24 per cent going meat free three-four days a week, and 7.5 per cent opting for no consumption five-six days a week.
Toluna country director for Australian and New Zealand Sej Patel said: “Our research shows that health concerns are weighing heavily on Australians, with health being the number one driving factor for the majority of our dietary decisions, which ultimately drive our purchasing decisions.
“Even though a very small number of Australians are currently following a vegan diet, a surprisingly large number are actively reducing their meat intake, and are looking to eat plant-based meat alternatives instead.”
More than half said that health concerns were the main reason in reducing their meat consumption. This was closely followed by 40 per cent reducing their intake due to cost related factors, 30 per cent for environmental purposes and 12 per cent due to moral reasons.
Plant-based meat on the rise
A quarter said they had tried plant-based alternatives, with 66 per cent saying they would continue to purchase plant-based products and 70 per cent said they believe plant based products are healthier. it is better for the environment.
Other reasons for eating plant-based meat were split between environmental benefits (54 per cent), ethical reasons (44 per cent), increasing vegetable intake (44 per cent).
Reasons people wouldn’t eat meat-alternatives again included a dislike of taste (52 per cent), bland (43 per cent), too expensive (39 per cent), and too rubbery (29 per cent).
Striving to improve health
The survey found that 43 per cent of Australians thought their diet was “very healthy”, with 69 per cent saying they would like their diet to be “very healthy” in the future.
A lack of self-control (52 per cent), snacking (50 per cent), and ordering takeaway (34 per cent) were the main reasons respondents claimed their diet wasn’t as healthy as they’d like.
“Australian consumers are wanting to improve their eating habits and are actively seeking out healthy food and drink alternatives across a range of categories. Retailers and brands can capitalise on this trend by ensuring they clearly communicate to consumers the health benefits of their products,” said Patel. COVID-19 was also impacting people’s diet, with 61 per cent of participants saying the pandemic impacted their health and attitudes towards healthy eating.
Toluna’s survey found respondents believe processed foods (62 per cent) and saturated fats (60 per cent) are some of the most problematic elements of a typical Western diet, with refined sugar (59 per cent) and excess salt (55 per cent) also a concern.
Dietary differences between men and women
There were distinguishing factors between men and women in their dietary choices. One in three men who said their diet was unhealthy, said it was too difficult to make changes and 27 per cent said alcohol also had a negative impact.
For women, a lack of time had a big impact on their diet (29 per cent) compared to men (20 per cent), and 32 per cent said eating late at night was an issue.
Women also said their families not enjoying healthy cooked meals and prioritising children over their own diet were contributing factors for their own unhealthy eating habits.
