Processed meat currently makes up around 30% of average meat intake in the UK. This report outlines the negative effects that processed meat consumption has on both human and environmental health. It then sets out a series of policy recommendations for minimising its consumption

This briefing by The Food Foundation explores the accessibility of sustainable, low emission diets for low income groups in the UK. The report focuses on two consumer behaviours needed to meet agrifood emissions targets: a reduction in meat and dairy consumption, and the elimination of household level food waste. The report finds that whilst theoretical models of low income diets are affordable, the reality is that they are often not accessible for low income households.

This paper uses data on the real life (as opposed to modelled) dietary practices of vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters to compare environmental impacts across all major environmental measures. The paper links one of the largest datasets available on the true dietary practice of different self-identified dietary groups (vegan, vegetarian, meat eater etc.), with data on the environmental impact of 589 foods across ten environmental measures from 570 life-cycle assessments.  

The Sixth Edition of the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR2023) is the newest collaboration between Nordic researchers, written over a period of four years and used to determine national dietary guidelines in Baltic and Nordic countries. The report has been ongoing since the 1980s, with the last published in 2012. This edition of the report is the first to take into account environmental factors and it demonstrates the synergies between a healthy diet and one that is low in environmental emissions.

This report published by WWF-UK lays out how UK population diets can become more healthy and sustainable and how that shift can support national climate and nature targets.

This article from The Guardian discusses the lobbying, media, and marketing tactics employed by the US beef industry to safeguard its interests. The author Joe Fassler highlights the industry’s use of extensive networks and resources to promote potentially misleading claims around the sustainability of beef production and consumption and contrasts it with scientific evidence showing beef on average to be the single most climate damaging food in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. Ultimately, this article asserts that the US beef industry is engaged in “an all-out public relations war to pre-empt environmental criticisms” in order to maintain a hold over consumers.

Yasmin Tayag of The Atlantic discusses her experience tasting plant-based bacon made with ‘lab-grown’ or ‘cultivated’ fat produced by San Francisco start-up Mission Barns. It is hoped that cultivated fat may encourage more people to eat less meat (which would have environmental benefits and address concerns around animal suffering) by providing a plant-based meat alternative that tastes as good as the real thing.

This book provides a behind-the-scenes look at the current food system and its destructive nature. Author Henry Dimbleby explains not just why he thinks the food system is a disaster waiting to happen, but what can be done about it.