Lab-grown burgers and cricket salads will be the norm by 2054, researchers predict

What will our dinner plates look like in 30 years? Consumer attitudes towards food ethics and sustainability could see insect proteins and lab-grown meats becoming the norm. That‘s according to the findings of the Co-op’s Responsible Retailing report with research conducted at the University of York.

What we eat is a contentious issue. Meat and dairy farming contribute to a rise in the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide, whereas vegan diets have come under fire recently as ‘fake meats’ have been shown to be an ultra-processed food and therefore linked to cardiovascular disease.

The Co-op predicts that, in the next 30 years, diets will have a greater balance of protein, carbohydrate and fibre and more pulses or seeds, with the diversity of protein options increasing with both high-quality meat and lab-produced meat replacements.

The Responsible Retailing report series began in 1994. In those 30 years, the report has explored the views of almost 70,000 people on transparency in food production and its impact on people, animals and the environment.

Figures in the most recent report reveal that two-thirds (72%) of consumers have become increasingly concerned about ethical and sustainable food than in recent years, and a sharp increase since 1994. The impact of climate change, animal welfare, plastic pollution and fair wages for global workers were among the top reasons.

Health has also become an increasing concern: 88% of respondents say they now eat more fruit and vegetables and 87% choose healthier options.

For the report, the Co-op partnered with FixOurFood, a multidisciplinary research programme at the University of York, to predict what mealtimes will look like in 30 years and then created images using artificial intelligence to show this.