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Supermarket giant Tesco is planning to offer plant-based alternatives for every animal product it sells, according to the Telegraph.
The publication has gotten hold of a leaked email outlining the retailer’s plans to ‘encourage customers to eat less meat’.
Tesco’s leaked letter
It cites former CEO David Lewis stating: “We realise the UK needs to reduce meat and dairy consumption.
“Since 2018 we’ve been working with suppliers to drive plant-based innovation and choice, leading to increases in our plant-based meat alternative products.”
Lewis said Tesco aims to achieve this by launching ‘plant-based proteins where a meat version is featured’. He also pledged to ‘publish plant-based protein sales as a percentage of protein sales’ this year.
Vegan meat sales
Last year, the supermarket announced plans to boost vegan meat sales up 300 percent by 2025 as part of an eco-drive.
Tesco, which partnered with WWF to become more sustainable, set out several incentives to achieve the. increase in sales.
These include increasing the availability of plant meat across all stores, in categories such as ready meals and party food.
Another strategy is to offer ‘affordable’ options so that cost is not a barrier to buying plant-based meat alternatives. Moreover, Tesco plans to work with food producers so they can bring innovative new products to market.
Visibility is another measure. The store wants to provide a meat alternative where a meat version is featured. This could mean marketing Richmond sausages and Richmond plant-based sausages together.
‘A truly sustainable food system’
“Transparency and setting ambitious targets are the first steps towards becoming a more sustainable business,” Lewis said.
“Our transparency on protein sales and our new sales target for meat alternatives gives us the platform to become more sustainable. And, will provide customers with even more choice.
“These measures are just part of the work we’re doing with WWF, bringing together for the first time a host of sustainability metrics to help us halve the environmental impact of food production.
“We can’t accomplish the transformational change needed for a truly sustainable food system on our own, so we’re calling on the whole industry to play its role, starting with increased transparency on its sustainability impacts.
“We also call on the government to do more by helping to scale up innovations and create a level playing field to ensure companies drive sustainability in their supply chains.”
Plant Based News has contacted Tesco for comment
