A coalition of health professionals and organizations is urging the United Kingdom (UK) government to stop promoting meat and dairy. They want the government to support healthier, plant-based diets.
Plant-Based Health Professionals, alongside 40 other organizations and well-known figures such as Chris Packham and Dale Vince, sent an open letter to government ministers.
The letter calls for an end to campaigns that encourage meat and dairy consumption. It instead recommends to promote fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.
The coalition sent the letter to key government figures, including the Secretaries of State for Environment, Health, and Energy.
They argue that the government’s current support for the meat and dairy industry contradicts scientific evidence on health and environmental sustainability.
The letter highlights concerns over the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board’s (AHDB) ongoing “Let’s Eat Balanced” campaign, which promotes red meat and dairy consumption.
The campaign has continued despite scientific evidence showing the need to reduce meat and dairy intake to meet climate and health goals.
In May 2024, Plant-Based Health Professionals UK and the Doctors Association UK wrote to the AHDB and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), urging them to reconsider their approach.
However, their concerns were dismissed, and the campaign was relaunched in October 2024 and January 2025.
The health coalition stresses that 70% of the UK’s farming emissions come from red meat and dairy production, which also contributes to pollution and antibiotic resistance.
They argue that moving towards plant-based diets is crucial to improving public health and reducing the £268 billion annual cost of diet-related illnesses in the UK.
The UK’s official dietary guidelines, the Eatwell Guide, currently recommend limiting red meat intake to 70g per day. However, campaigners argue that this message is not adequately communicated in promotional campaigns.
They point to other countries, such as Denmark and Canada, which have introduced updated dietary guidelines that emphasize plant-based foods and recognize the environmental impact of animal products.
The coalition is calling on the government to stop funding and supporting misleading campaigns and instead promote diets that are healthier and more sustainable for the planet.
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