One quarter of British adults say they eat less meat now than a year ago

Restaurants and caterers may need to consider more vegetarian options in light of a new survey suggesting that 25% of British people now eat less meat than they did a year ago.

According to the poll, a quarter of British people said that they eat less meat now than they did 12 months ago. The results also show that just over a third (34%) said that they would be happy to consider eating less meat, while one in six (17%) young people said that they don't eat any meat at all.

Conducted by YouGov on behalf of the Eating Better alliance, the poll surveyed 1,819 British adults on their eating preferences.

Commenting on the figures, head of communications at the Vegetarian Society Liz O'Neill said: "The findings of this survey should encourage chefs and caterers to take stock. For far too long vegetarians have been expected to be grateful for pasta and tomato sauce!

"As more and more customers choose not to eat meat it's the restaurants with variety, an imaginative menu and good customer service that will survive."

The Vegetarian Society provides advice and tips on how to cook interesting vegetarian dishes, and also runs the Cordon Vert cookery school diploma specialising in vegetarian cuisine.

A number of chefs have begun to champion vegetables as key, as opposed to seeing them as an afterthought to meat.

One such example is Bryn Williams, Welshman and chef at London's Odette's, whose most recent book For the Love of Veg