Brits have already eaten too much food high in fat and sugar to meet a science-backed target for a healthy and sustainable diet in 2026, according to Lidl.
Saturday 25 July is ‘overshoot day’, when Britain will no longer have a chance of achieving sufficient annual progress towards targets designed to provide sustainable food systems for growing populations.
The Eat-Lancet Planetary Health Diet, the result of a collaboration between scientific journal The Lancet and Norway-based think tank Eat, sets targets of cutting consumption of carbon-intensive foods such as red meat by 50% globally by 2050, while doubling consumption of fruit & veg, nuts and legumes.
Research for Lidl used data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey to compare current UK food consumption against progress benchmark targets calculated for 2026. It found that, while 24 years remain to meet the final targets, the UK was well off the trajectory required to get there, according to Lidl.
The analysis found the country was consuming only 40% of the required amount of fruit & vegetables and falling about 85% short on fibre-rich wholegrain intake, based on the interim progress targets for 2026. The nation is also under-indexing on plant-based protein, eating only 18% of the suggested level, while animal protein consumption exceeds recommended levels by 60%. Consumption of foods high in added fats and sugars are 60% above recommended levels, according to Lidl.
Read more: Can Eat-Lancet convince the world to eat less red meat?
Separate Censuswide consumer research commissioned by Lidl found 45% of UK adults surveyed saw affordability as one of the biggest barriers to eating more healthily and sustainably. More than half (52%) said they wanted more guidance on how to eat healthily without increasing their grocery bill.
Lidl became the first UK retailer to align its sales targets with the Planetary Health Diet early last year and has called on others to follow suit. It is now calling for greater collaboration between industry and policymakers to make healthier food more accessible.
Read more: Lidl calls for government to set plant-based sales targets
“These findings are a wake-up call,” said Lidl GB chief commercial officer Richard Bourns. “As a nation, we’re at a dietary tipping point, and we need a big shift in how we eat to ensure we’re consuming more of what we’re currently lacking.
“Our research shows people want to make healthier and more sustainable choices for the planet, but often affordability stands in the way.
“By highlighting how quickly we have overshot the Planetary Health Diet targets, we also hope to bring balance to Britain’s diet by working with retailers, policymakers and producers to make better food accessible for everyone.”
British Nutrition Food Foundation CEO Elaine Hindal said: “A healthier, more sustainable diet doesn’t need to be complicated. Helping people understand what a balanced diet looks like while making those options easy to choose and affordable to buy is critical to building a food system that works better for people and the planet.”
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