The Ten Point Plan for Plant-Rich Diets

The Ten Point Plan for Plant-Rich Diets

To meet the goals of its Food Strategy, the government must act to increase production and consumption of plant-rich diets in the UK.

What's the problem?

Eating more plant-rich diets is good for our planet, for animals and for ourselves.

Instead, the UK is trapped in a cycle of intensive animal agriculture, which is detrimental for public health, our environment and animal welfare.

It’s time to break the cycle.

According to the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, just 9% of children and 17% of adults meet the ‘five-a-day’ recommendation for fruit and vegetables.

In addition, the government’s Food Strategy – the Good Food Cycle – has identified:

Obesity-related ill health is estimated to cost the NHS over £11.4 billion every year
Agriculture accounts for 69% of land use in the UK
The UK food system accounts for 38% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions

17%

of adults

meet the ‘five-a-day’ recommendation for fruit and vegetables.

69%

of respondents in a national poll

want the government to do more to help people eat fruit, vegetables and other plant-based foods.

70%

of respondents believe

the government should support animal farmers to transition to more sustainable practices, such as rewilding or plant-based crop production.

Our solutions

Supporting a shift to plant-rich diets

Climate and health experts across the world – including both the global EAT-Lancet Commission and the UK-based Agrifood Network +, representing hundreds of scientists and policy experts – have concluded that it is essential for diets to shift towards more consumption of healthy plant-based foods, and lower consumption of animal-based foods.

The Good Food Cycle offers an opportunity to introduce policies which will make it easier for people to choose, access and afford healthy plant-based foods, and to support British growers and companies who produce and sell them.

A strategic, cross-government approach to boosting the consumption and production of plant-based foods has already been implemented in Denmark, and the UK can join it in leading the way.

The government is set to publish its Action Plan in the spring, but hasn’t yet committed to action to support plant-rich diets.

A ‘cheat sheet’ for policymakers

The Ten Point Plan is a policy paper which sets out ten practical, integrated measures the government can enact to meet the goals outlined in the Good Food Cycle food strategy.

Drawing on the latest and best evidence, these measures promote plant-based foods as an essential means of building a more affordable, resilient food system, while protecting our environment.

The Ten Point Plan is supported by 50 organisations across food, farming, commercial, health, environment and animal welfare sectors. A May 2025 poll found public backing for government action, with 69% of people stating they would like to eat more plant-based food and a further 69% agreeing that the government should do more to help people do so.

The Ten-Point Plan

Specific measures may include: requirements for meals to conform to emissions-per-portion limits; plant-rich “by default” public sector menus; and removing the obligation to provide meat three times per week from School Food Standards.
Specific measures may include mandatory requirements for food companies of more than 250 employees – including processing, retail, manufacture, catering and out-of-home – to report relevant metrics such as protein splits for sold products, sales of fruit and vegetables, and their targets for increasing sales of plant-based proteins.
Specific measures may include providing targeted payments and incentives for farmers sustainably growing crops for human consumption; support for research into plant varieties and production methods; assistance with marketing, both domestic and for export; and rigorous mechanisms to ensure fair prices within the supply chain.
In addition to measures identified above in the context of horticulture, these could include grants, loans and/or subsidies targeted at the financial needs of farmers diversifying protein production; payments for reduction of high environmental impact farmed animals; support for training and retraining of farmers.
Specific measures may include: providing fruit and veg through voucher schemes such as Healthy Start, as well as schemes which provide access to healthy plant foods in areas with low access or ‘food deserts’; providing practical education for the general public about preparing and cooking plant-based foods, such as in the school curriculum, via community services and via social media; supporting communities to grow healthy food through education and the provision of land for allotments and community gardens.
Specific measures may include: integrated and holistic public health campaigns to promote fruit and vegetable consumption; recipes and meal plans based on healthy and affordable plant proteins such as beans and pulses as part of the Eatwell Guide.
Specific measures may include: mandatory, holistic and standardised environmental and health labelling for all food products, taking into account GHG emissions, land and water use; indications of fibre content and advice on average daily limits to be included in on-pack nutritional information; mandatory, standardised method of production labelling for animal products.
This training should include modules dedicated to balanced plant-based nutrition for relevant health professionals such as GPs and dietitians, and content on creating nutritious plant-based meals required to be included in training courses and qualifications for chefs and catering professionals.
The guide was last updated in 2016 and should reflect the latest evidence on both the health and environmental benefits of plant-rich diets. It should provide guidance on adopting plant-rich diets and toolkits for nutrition professionals to aid implementation and adherence. It must be used to guide policy across all government departments and public bodies, including, for example, public procurement spending and advertising standards.
Specific measures may include: further investment in the National Alternative Proteins Innovation Centre and its work; and ensuring a clear, robust, effective regulatory framework.

Take action

Read the full paper

and share it with people who might be interested.

Ask your MP

to contact Secretary of State for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Emma Reynolds in support of the plan.

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