UK Supermarkets Are Winning for Animals
World Vegan Month may be coming to an end, but supermarkets across the UK are just getting started! From rapidly expanding and promoting their vegan food ranges to lowering prices, the big retailers are making it easier for everyone to choose vegan food.
Availability
The more vegan food on the shelves, the easier it is for non-vegans to put it in their trolleys. Here’s where to look:
- The GRO vegan range is available in 2,000 Co-op stores and 4,000 independent locations, including Nisa stores.
- Marks & Spencer‘s luxury Plant Kitchen range has over 100 items and offers exceptional quality.
- The online supermarket Ocado stocks a whopping 4,900 vegan products across all brands.
- Sainsbury’s has expanded the number of stocking points in store by 40% (compared to 2019).
- Tesco has two large vegan ranges, Wicked Kitchen and Plant Chef.
- Waitrose has over 120 high-quality vegan products, including fish-free goujons and vegan egg fried rice.
Vegan for the Planet
Retailers are recognising that vegan foods have the lowest impact on our planet.
In a UK supermarket first, Tesco is aiming for a 300% increase in vegan meat sales by 2025. This target is part of its policies to lower its environmental impact, acknowledging the huge damage the meat industry causes to the planet. Tesco still sells a lot of animal flesh, but these steps making it easier for people to switch to vegan food are a welcome start. We hope other retailers will do the same.
Convenience Rules
Supermarkets have upped their vegan ready-meal game to meet the booming demand.
Aldi recently expanded its ready-meal range – the Plant Menu No Chicken Masala is a PETA favourite.
The M&S vegan chicken Kiev sold at a rate of one every four minutes in January 2020 and has been the retailer’s most popular vegan product to date. Now that’s great news for chickens!
Bring It to Them
Placing vegan foods near animal-derived ones is a winning strategy to tempt meat-eaters to give them a try.
Chef and Tesco Director of Plant Based Innovation Derek Sarno explains why the supermarket puts vegan meat in the aisle with animal flesh: “As a vegan myself, I am a firm believer that placing options in front of where meat-eaters shop will open the door. Most meat-eaters wouldn’t go to a plant-based aisle, therefore, we’ll bring it to them.”
Eye-Catching Advertising
Adverts and promotions can open the eyes of millions to the delights of vegan food.
Sainsbury’s had a wonderful pop-up vegan butcher shop in London, which caused a stir, while Tesco’s “Carl’s ‘All-Change’ Casserole” TV advert featuring Plant Chef sausages sparked debate by showing a little girl saying, “I don’t want to eat animals any more.”
Low Prices
Of course, rice, beans, and seasonal veg are very cost-effective, but as prices for vegan cheeses, meats, and ready meals fall, more people will make animal-friendly choices. Wallet-friendly options can be found at all supermarkets – here are a few examples:
- Asda has reduced the price of many vegan cheese, milk, and yogurt products to match that of non-vegan equivalents.
- Iceland has low-cost family favourites including vegan fish fingers and ice cream cones.
- Without Meat is Lidl‘s brand of budget-friendly vegan mince and burgers.
- Popular items in Morrisons‘ affordable V Taste range include cauliflower hot wings and vegan bacon rashers.
Expansion!
Asda will double its vegan range in January, and every new vegan option will replace a meat one on the shelves. Co-op, Lidl, Morrisons, and M&S have also told PETA they’ll expand their vegan offerings in the new year.
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