National Trust members to vote on making half of all cafe food vegan

Critics say the National Trust should not be allowed to ‘impose’ food choices on its customers

The National Trust stated that reducing meat and dairy products on its menus could significantly lessen the environmental impact (Andrew Matthews/PA)

The National Trust is considering making half of its cafe food vegan as part of a commitment to achieving net zero emissions.

The organisation is supporting a proposal to make its menus 50 per cent plant-based, which will be voted on at its upcoming annual general meeting.

The National Trust stated that reducing meat and dairy products on its menus could significantly lessen the environmental impact.

With 280 cafes nationwide serving millions of visitors annually, this move is seen as a significant step towards sustainability.

“Offering plant-based options does not mean compromising on quality,” the board of trustees said in response to the members’ resolution for the idea.

However, the proposal has come under criticism for “imposing” choices on customers.

Tom Bradshaw, president of the National Farmers Union (NFU) said: “What we eat is a personal choice and not something which is imposed.

Visitors at National Trust venues like Seaton Delaval Hall in Northumberland could be offered more cafe food that is vegan (National Trust)

“Decisions should be made in an informed way taking into consideration the nutritional, environmental and biodiversity benefits that eating a balanced diet including meat and dairy provide.”

TV farmer Gareth Wyn Jones called the move hypocritical considering the number of livestock farmers on National Trust land.

It comes after the trust faced criticism earlier this year for quietly making its scones vegan by replacing butter with a vegetable-based spread.

Currently, about 40 per cent of the National Trust’s catering is plant-based, and the charity believes this can increase to 50 per cent within two years if the resolution passes, while still offering dairy, eggs, and meat.

The organisation referenced Sir David Attenborough’s view that the planet cannot sustain billions of meat eaters and highlighted that a shift to a predominantly plant-based food system could free up over 70 per cent of farmland for nature restoration.

The trust claimed that their research suggested an increase in vegan and vegetarian options would appeal to younger visitors and families.

Ipsos research from 2022 revealed that nearly half of Britons aged 16-75 are considering reducing their animal product consumption, with the highest numbers of “flexitarians” or fully plant-based individuals found among those under 45.

Last year, the National Trust welcomed over 24 million visitors to its 500 historic houses, castles, gardens, parks, and nature reserves.

The charity’s 2.6 million members can vote on the resolutions online by 25 October or in person at the annual meeting on 2 November.

This initiative by the National Trust follows similar efforts by other organisations to introduce more vegan options, with varying degrees of success.

In August, the University of Warwick rejected a student union vote to make its catering services fully vegan by 2027 due to cost concerns. Meanwhile, Pret a Manger announced in February that it would close all its vegetarian-only cafes, having opened ten since 2016.