Our thinking

Why young men are eating more meat

16 May, 2025

Meat is muscling its way back onto our plates and young men are leading the charge.

We all remember when the only plant-based options in restaurants were chips or a salad. But with growing awareness of climate change and animal welfare, plant-based eating has become more widespread, with UK meat consumption steadily declining since the 2000s. A recent report from Hubbub reveals one group bucking the trend: young men.

They found 40% of UK men aged 16-24 eat meat daily and are nearly three times more likely to have increased their meat consumption within the last year. Meanwhile sales of meat in America recently hit a record high while the proportion of consumers trying to eat less meat is the lowest it’s been in five years.

But why?

Meat’s association with masculinity plays a major role. Young men are almost twice as likely to feel uncomfortable eating plant-based food in front of friends and family. Combined with the fixation on protein to gain muscle, it’s no surprise men are 50% less likely to identify as vegetarian than women. But more alarming is the influence of the manosphere – a host of online content glorifying traditional masculinity, misogyny and misinformation.

19 million viewers watched Joe Rogan and Elon Musk dismiss meat’s impact on the climate without providing any scientific evidence, Andrew Tate claims a carnivore diet provides mental clarity, and Eddie Abbew attributes his body builder physique to extreme protein intake, despite using steroids.

With calls from the Climate Change Committee to reduce meat and dairy consumption and clear health implications from over-consumption of meat, it’s time to reset the narrative. Hubbub suggests focusing on health and performance rather than ethical motivators, using trusted role models, designing plant-based products and campaigns with men in mind and normalising plant-based eating in male dominated spaces.

Brands such as Huel and Heura are already shifting the narrative, marketing plant-based products as fuel for strength, while Quorn partnered with Liverpool FC to promote Meat Free Match Days and offer veggie options in stadiums.

Every food producer, fitness brand and male-targeted platform has a role to play in rewriting what it means to eat like a man.

By Nia Vines