The Greta Thunberg generation are more likely to be vegan but trail the over-55s on plastic and recycling

Millennials often pride themselves on their eco-credentials while the baby boomer generation is accused of poor stewardship of the planet — but new research suggests otherwise.

When it comes to reducing our carbon footprint, younger people fall short. They buy cheap clothes from Asos, ride Ubers rather than buses, have fast food sent via Deliveroo and eat smashed avocados from Mexico rather than seasonal vegetables from local suppliers – all of which boosts fuel emissions and non-recyclable plastic use.

A survey by Censuswide for Aviva into greener lifestyles found that people aged 55 and over were ahead in every category except the vegan diet — 9 per cent of 16-24 year-olds say they are vegan, compared to just 2 per cent among the over-55s.

But