5
May
2026
Fibremaxxing Brits want the UK Government to help them hit their five-a-day target by boosting the production of fruit, veg, beans and pulses and making it easier to eat them.
YouGov polling* for Madre Brava found consistent support for government action across age groups, genders and voting intentions.
Young people were particularly keen on the government making it easier for them to eat more fruit, veg, beans and pulses, with 88% of 18-24 year olds polled supporting this.
The polling found:
- 70% of Brits want the government to make it easier to eat more fruit, veg, beans and pulses.
- Over half (55%) want to see the government invest in public information campaigns to promote eating more plant-based foods.
- A total of 69% support proposals for the government to subsidise UK farmers to produce more fruit, veg, beans and pulses.
- The same proportion (69%) think we eat too much processed meat.
- Just over half (51%) think the government should introduce policies to reduce processed meat consumption.
Protein and fibremaxxing trends combine
The results come at a time when several trends have combined to make plant-based food more attractive to UK consumers.
The protein craze and fibremaxxing are trending and GLP-1s are having a profound effect on the national diet, with supermarkets bringing out GLP-1 ranges that tout increased fibre and protein content.
Tesco announced last month that it had seen a 25% increase in plant protein sales in the last year, in products such as tofu and plant mince, pointing to an increase in cooking from scratch and consumers aiming to maximise nutrition goals in each meal.
Helping shoppers make the healthy choice
Sara Ayech, UK Director for Madre Brava, said: “Protein and fibre are all over Brits’ social media feeds at the moment, and more than 1.5 million people have used GLP-1 weight loss drugs in the past year.
“Plant-based foods can offer protein, while also offering more fibre. We definitely need more government focus on boosting their production and making it easier for people to choose those foods at the supermarket.”
Sara added that supermarkets are starting to wake up to the opportunities from selling more fruit, veg, beans and pulses but that UK retailers are behind their counterparts in Germany and the Netherlands, which have already set targets to increase the share of plant-based foods in what they sell.
Budget retailer Lidl, the fastest growing supermarket in the UK, has bucked the trend and set targets to increase their sales of vegetables, fruit, beans, pulses and plant-based meat by 2030.
“It’s clear there’s an appetite for more fruit, veg, beans and pulses but people often perceive them to be too expensive, or are not sure how to include them in dishes,” Sara said, “alongside government action, supermarkets can help change what we buy and how we eat making the healthier, more sustainable choice the tastiest, cheapest option.”
Our recent UK price study found that the gap between beef and beans was big and widening.
Madre Brava wants UK supermarkets to follow their European competitors and set ambitious targets for plant based food sales. The UK Government can help level the playing field by requiring mandatory reporting and target setting.
*All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,026 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 16th - 24th December 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). Full data tables available on request.
