16th January 2025
A letter signed by more than 40 environmental, health, dietary and animal protection organisations and campaigners has been sent to the Government, calling for an end to the “Let’s Eat Balanced” meat marketing campaign by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). Instead, they say, the Government should be investing in and promoting the consumption of fruit, veg and healthy plant-based foods.
The letter reveals new research which has found that only 29% of respondents in a representative nationwide poll could correctly identify the daily limit of 70g of red and processed meat recommended in official dietary guidance, the Eatwell Guide. Of those who said they understood the guidance, only 35% correctly identified the 70g limit.
Campaigners note that an estimated 38,500 deaths were associated with excessive meat consumption in the UK in 2021, while the government’s official advisory body on Net Zero, the Climate Change Committee, has called for a 20% cut in meat and dairy consumption in the UK by 2030 and identified the AHDB campaign as inconsistent with those goals.
Environmentalist Dale Vince, who has signed the letter, said:
“This new research shows clearly that most people don’t understand the dangers of eating meat. So, it seems pretty crazy for a government-sponsored body to be promoting meat and dairy when actually the country needs to be informed of the risks and encouraged to eat plant based foods instead. This is a serious breach of the government’s responsibility to give proper health advice when it comes to food – rather than allowing an official agency to advertise foods that we urgently need to reduce consumption of, for the health of people and planet.”
“Our new government should step into the information gap on food, health and sustainability, and tell the people of Britain what the science says about our food choices.”
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) is an arms-length, government-sponsored body of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which signed off its multi-million pound “Let’s Eat Balanced” promotional campaign. Television and social media advertisements forming part of the campaign previously have not made reference to the recommendations on limiting meat consumption. [7]
Chris Packham said:
“The AHDB has become little more than an advertising company for the meat and dairy industry – despite retaining the word ‘horticulture’ in its name. The government should be supporting the farmers who are growing the nutritious pulses, fruits and veg that we should all be eating more of, instead of ignoring the expert scientific advice that says if we want to cut emissions we need less meat on our plates.
“Countries such as Denmark already have strategies to help people to eat more of these foods. Why don’t we?” [8]
Dr Shireen Kassam, an NHS consultant and director of Plant-Based Health Professionals said:
“Neither red meat nor dairy provide essential nutrients. It is abundantly clear from decades of research that getting protein from plant sources is better for health resulting in a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and dementia. The government has announced it intends to develop a food strategy this year. That strategy must embrace the science and promote plant-based diets.” [9]
Other letter signatories include Caroline Lucas, Dr Amir Khan, the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, Compassion in World Farming and Professor Hugh Montgomery, Co-chair of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change.
Full text of the letter is available at https://feedbackglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/AHDB-Jan-2025.pdf