Reducing meat consumption for health, budget, and the planet has become the most popular dietary choice among Australians this year.
A Food Frontier consumer survey found 21 per cent of respondents have adopted this diet trend, dubbed ‘meat reducer’, thanks to the health, financial and environmental benefits associated with eating less meat.
Intermittent fasting and organic were the second and third most popular diets, with 15 per cent and 14 per cent of respondents opting for the trends, respectively.
The survey also found that 25 per cent of Australians have reduced their meat intake. About 79 per cent said they are going meat-free at least one day a week, with some abstaining from meat entirely.
The top three reasons respondents gave for reducing their meat consumption were health benefits (61 per cent), budget constraints (54 per cent), and environmental concerns (37 per cent).
“The cost-of-living crisis may be affecting meat consumption,” said Food Frontier CEO Simon Eassom. “Over the past four years, the importance of budget as a motivator for reduced meat consumption has increased significantly, rising from 40 per cent in 2021 to 54 per cent in 2024.”
Approximately 35 per cent of respondents said they have tried plant-based alt-meats, up from 24 per cent in 2021. Some 16 per cent said they consume plant-based alt-meats on a regular basis.
Australians rely on various sources for diet information, with friends and family being the most common, according to the study.
In addition, 38 per cent of those who own a cat or a dog would opt for wet pet food with no animal products, provided it was nutritionally adequate.
The Food Frontier survey undertook a nationally representative survey of 2000 people across the country to explore their dietary preferences and the reasons behind them.
