New research for Today suggests significant changes in people' eating habits during the outbreak of foot and mouth disease.
It finds that more than a quarter of vegetarians have only "quite recently" converted -- and a third of those questioned would consider giving up meat in the future. The 大象传媒 commissioned an ICM telephone poll of more than a thousand people last weekend.
Most of those questioned - eighty seven per cent - described themselves as meat eaters. Just nine per cent said they were vegetarian. But, significantly, in light of foot and mouth, just over a quarter of this smaller group said they'd stopped eating meat quite recently.
Many were aged over 45, mostly in low income brackets - and from northern parts of the UK and the midlands - possibly reflecting foot and mouth hotspots and the intensity of regional media coverage. However, for those concerned about the future of the meat trade, the findings are inconclusive.
When asked whether the present crisis, along with BSE made people more or less likely to eat British meat, most - over seventy per cent - said it made no difference. Yet, when people were asked whether they'd consider giving up meat, a third said yes.
The Vegetarian Society has said it's been inundated with inquiries from people traumatised by images of animals being slaughtered. And latest consumer research shows steep increases in the amount shoppers are spending on fresh fish and meat alternatives such as quorn.
Check out the 
