Plant based BBQs are set to sizzle! Three quarters of meat eaters say they would opt for vegan food at a BBQ

06 July 2022

• 78% of non-vegan Brits would choose to try a vegan option at a BBQ
• 54% of Brits agree that whoever is hosting a BBQ should provide both tasty meat and plant-based food for guests
• Co-op has seen the sales of its own plant based GRO range increase by +18% in 2022, vs. the same time period last year

It’s set to be a summer of plant-based burgers and sausages, as three quarters (78%) of meat eaters would choose to try a vegan BBQ alternative, new research reveals.

As the flexitarian diet continues to sweep the country, 44 per cent of meat eaters would be tempted to choose a vegan product, but would judge it by how the food looks, followed by how it smells (34%) or how it sounds when being eaten (29%).

Convenience retailer Co-op has seen the sales of its own plant based GRO range increase by +18 per cent in 2022, suggesting that plant-based BBQ’s may become the norm.

It could be a subconscious decision for many, with 37 per cent of UK adults having noticed more vegan options at BBQs recently and even more 16–24-year-olds (55%) noticing a significant change in the traditionally meat-inspired spread.

When it comes to who is responsible for making sure vegan guests are catered for, people believe it is mainly the hosts (38%) responsibility rather than the attending vegan guests (19%) for having tasty plant-based food on the menu.

Perhaps reassuringly for vegan BBQ goers, 35 per cent of UK adults admit they would use a separate grill when barbecuing both meat and plant-based food, yet almost a quarter (23%) say they would use the same grill but try and keep the meat and plant-based food apart.

The effort to keep food apart may be totally unnecessary for many, with 1 in 10 admitting to cleaning their BBQ just once a year and 1 in 4 admitting to only cleaning it once every six months.

Plant-based product developer at Co-op, Saskia Pinnington, says: “As the quality and flavours of plant-based alternatives continues to improve and vegan options become more of a staple at BBQs across the country, we’ll see more people buying into this lifestyle. We’re seeing people expand their BBQ horizons and move away from the standard hot dog and burger, so it’s important as a convenience retailer that we have the range to be able to cater for everyone.

“What’s even more important is that plant-based food shouldn’t cost more than non-vegan food, which is why we’ve price-matched our GRO range to meat and dairy-based counterparts, saving our customers money on the foods they love.”

Co-op is welcoming a number of plant-based products to its GRO range this summer, including award-winning GRO The Bhaji Burger, GRO Spicy & Smoky Hawt Dawgs and GRO Shawarma Kebabs.

Notes to Editor    For more information, please contact:

Elliott Lancaster | elliott.lancaster@coop.co.uk | Press Officer | 07808 609 944 

About Co-op  Co-op is the UK’s largest consumer co-operative, owned by more than four million active members. We’re a major food retailer and wholesaler, we’re the largest funerals provider in the UK, a major provider of regulated consumer legal services, particularly probate and wills, and a major provider of life planning and insurance products. 

Employing over 60,000 people, Co-op has an annual turnover of over £11 billion. As well as having clear financial and operational objectives, the Co-op is a recognised leader for its social goals and community-led programmes. Co-op exists to meet members’ needs and stand up for the things they believe in.