Cutting down on meat saved British people more than £2.8 billion last year, a survey has found.

Researchers who polled 2,000 UK adults found 26 per cent had reduced their meat intake during the past 12 months and in doing so, saved an average of £209 each.

Health concerns, saving money and reducing the impact of meat consumption on the environment, were among the reasons given for cutting down.

A third of respondents thought there would be a time when there are more vegans and vegetarians in the UK than meat eaters. They believed this will happen in just 23 years’ time.

In addition, more than half of those polled believed 2019 will see more people become vegetarian than ever before.

Seventeen per cent of meat-eaters also intended to reduce their meat intake this year.

“Vegetarianism has been growing over the last few years at a previously unseen rate," said Charles Banks, director of The Food People about the poll which was commissioned by Linda McCartney Foods. "There are a number of motivations driving people to alter their behaviour, from ethics, economics, environment, health and accessibility. Therefore, it is most often a combination of factors that are forcing consumers to rethink their daily diets.”

He added: "The accessibility of vegetarian and vegan food has had the biggest impact, as it moves towards a more inclusive, mainstream lifestyle choice.”

The research also found UK meat-eaters currently eat meat five days a week on average and during a typical year, they will spend £752 on it.

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More than a fifth of meat-eaters have it every day.

Of those who have eaten less meat over the past year, a third believed the change to their diet has had a positive effect on their health.

The study also found a quarter simply did not like meat as much as they used to - partly due to the availability of better vegetarian alternatives.

Mr Banks added: "Food without meat is no longer just a ‘plain salad’ - it’s now fun, interesting and fully loaded with the latest trends and flavours.”

He added: "In 2018, the United Nations released a report which stated we have just 12 years to ‘stave off a climate crisis.’ Following this declaration, thoughts have turned to our diets, as more consumers understand the true cost of our food, not just for our pockets, but for the environment. They’re beginning to realise that meat-heavy diets are not sustainable.”