The organisations joined forces in order to call on the new environment secretary Emma Reynolds to champion plant-rich diets through the UK Government’s upcoming food strategy.
The policy paper proposes 10 measures that the government can enact in order to meet the goals outlined in the Good Food Cycle food strategy published by Defra in July 2025.
The 10-point plan has been endorsed by leading organisations working within food, farming, health, sustainability and animal welfare, including Foodrise, The Food Foundation, the British Growers Association, Doctors’ Association UK, UK Health Alliance on Climate Change and Compassion in World Farming.
The plan has been submitted to Reynolds and new Defra minister Angela Eagle.
According to a poll conducted by the organisations behind the plan, 69% of respondents said that the government should do more to help people eat fruit, vegetables and other plant-based foods.
“The government has highlighted the need to break the cycle of intensive animal agriculture in the UK, and produce a genuine Good Food Cycle,” said Liam Lysaght, campaigns officer at Foodrise.
“This paper shows widespread agreement from health, environment, and food professionals that we can achieve those goals with practical, integrated, policies to promote more plant-rich diets. It’s a perfect ‘cheat sheet’ for the new ministers at Defra.”
Dr Matthew Lee, sustainability lead at Doctors Association UK, explained that the evidence is “unequivocal” that people in the UK are not eating enough plant-based foods such as vegetables, pulses, legumes, fruit, nuts, seeds and wholegrains.
“Public health will improve if we can secure a transition towards more plant-rich diets,” added Dr Lee.
“That dietary transition can reduce the burden of disease and ease pressure on the NHS. The government has everything to gain by taking action.”
The plan also called for more government support for the horticulture sector in order to improve food security and economic growth, as well as more encouragement for food supply companies to focus on sales of plant-rich products in order to make it easier and more affordable for people to access and eat healthy food.
This is after 70% of respondents to the poll agreed that the government should support animal farmers to transition to more sustainable practices, such as rewilding or plant-based crop production.
“Only 53% of vegetables and 16% of fruit are home grown,” commented John Walgate, CEO of the British Growers Association.
“The right support from the government could transform our horticulture sector from one where growers struggle to make a profit into a vibrant contributor to our rural economy and food security."
The Danish Government has already introduced and implemented a national action plan to promote plant-based foods, and is seeking to use its current presidency of the Council of the European Union to introduce one across the EU.
