The majority of people in the UK will be catering for vegetarians or vegans this Christmas (56%) compared to less than half last year, and 52% of people say it is likely or highly likely they will follow a plant-based diet this Christmas (compared to 20% last year).

The survey, by the UK's number one specialty cheese and vegan cheeze brand Ilchester®, also found that a huge 70% of people will be reducing their meat consumption over the festive season this year. Ilchester has created the Ilchester Vegan Festive Selection*, which features four plant-based cheezes, and also makes the world's first and best-selling Cheese Advent Calendar in collaboration with So Wrong it's Nom.

In last year's survey, conducted by Ilchester, the main reason for moving towards vegan foods was because of concerns people had about health and boosting their immunity. However, this year it's about saving the planet, with 60% citing that as the main reason for the change in eating habits.

The COP26 conference in Glasgow in November has had a big effect on people's views, with 16% of respondents saying they were inspired by COP26 to move towards a vegan diet.

People are more considerate of others being vegan too this year and more responsive to adapting their own diet to suit their vegan guests.

Nearly 40% of those who will be catering for vegans this Christmas say that they will change their whole meal plan to vegan because of having at least one vegan guest, whereas last year only 25% of people were prepared to do this.

Reflecting on the results of the survey, Lisa Harrison, Marketing Manager for Ilchester, said: "With the pandemic forcing many people to cancel their Christmas plans last year, Christmas 2021 is set to be a big celebration as the nation will be able to get together with their friends and families to party.

"The demand for our plant-based alternatives to our popular cheeses is an indication of the growing attraction for people to follow a more plant-based and flexitarian-style diet, and to be very tolerant and considerate of family and friends who are doing this. And a dramatically increased number of people are mindful of the impact our diet has on the environment too now, so meat is being rejected more and more.

"Many people have now got the message that a more plant-based diet could be the 'single biggest way' to reduce our environmental impact on earth, but we were surprised at the percentage of people who are stating this as a reason to forgo their traditional Christmas foodie treats for alternatives."

* The selection features four vegan cheezes, including:

The IIchester® Vegan Melting Mature, which launched as a standalone cheeze this year (July).
The Ilchester® Vegan Blue Cheeze (with blue spirulina vein), which also launched as a standalone cheeze this year (July).
The multi-award-winning Mexicana® Vegan Spicy Cheeze, the plant-based alternative to the UK's number one spicy cheese Mexicana®
The multi-award-winning Applewood® Vegan, the plant-based alternative to the UK's number one smoky cheese Applewood*

The IIchester® Vegan Festive Cheeze Selection is available to buy at Sainsbury's, Waitrose, and The Vegan Kind Supermarket now and retails at £6.

- ENDS -

The survey was conducted between November 26 - 29 2021
The sample size was 1,000

Media contact

Angie Cronin
Loudbird PR and Communications
Tel: 07970 810302
loudbirdprandcomms@gmail.com
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Twitter: @LoudbirdPR
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About Norseland

• The West Country town of IIchester is home to the IIchester range of cheeses which launched back in 1962 with its first-ever cheese, the IIchester® Beer Cheese.
• The IIchester® brand is part of the Norseland portfolio of cheeses. Norseland was the first dairy company to launch plant-based alternatives to its best-selling brands.
  Its brands include:
• Applewood® UK's No 1. Smoky Cheese
• Applewood Vegan - the first plant-based cheeze from an established dairy brand. Applewood Vegan is now available in block, slices and grated formats and is award-winning.
• Ilchester - its range of cheeses include: the Ilchester® Cheese Selection, Beer Cheese, Mediterranean cheddar, Truffle cheese, Wensleydale and Cranberries and the World's First Cheese Advent Calendar.
• The Ilchester Vegan Blue and the Ilchester Vegan Melting Mature are the first plant-based alternatives to dairy from Ilchester®.
• Jarlsberg® UK's No.1 Deli Cheese with Holes*
• Mexicana® UK's No.1 Spicy Cheese
• Mexicana Vegan is available in block and is also multi award-winning.