Gen Z appetite for British meat and dairy grows as Let’s Eat Balanced campaign returns

Purchase intent for red meat and dairy has increased among Gen Z as our flagship Let’s Eat Balanced campaign returns to screens, social feeds and supermarket aisles throughout September.

Between September 2025 and January 2026, red meat purchase intent among Gen Z rose by eight percentage points, alongside a three-percentage-point increase for dairy.¹ 

The findings support wider insight showing younger audiences are increasingly open to conversations about nutrition, food production and British farming.

Running from 1 to 30 September, Let’s Eat Balanced aims to reach 80% of main shoppers, using trusted, evidence-based messaging to champion British beef, lamb and dairy as naturally nutrient-dense, high-quality proteins that can be enjoyed as part of a healthy, balanced diet and lifestyle.

Carrie McDermid, AHDB Head of Marketing, said:

“Building on several years of sustained investment and consistent communications, the campaign is helping to strengthen positive perceptions, reinforce confidence in British produce and grow a core group of consumer advocates.

“This positive momentum creates an opportunity to further engage future consumers, with recent audience insight highlighting growing openness among younger audiences to be more informed about where their food comes from and more connected to the farmers that produce it.”

The September activity builds on strong 2025–26 performance.

Across the year, Let’s Eat Balanced reached 91% of adults an average of nine times, while social content generated 265 million impressions and 41 million engagements.²

Retail partnerships also put campaign messaging at the point of purchase, with 12.8 million on-pack stickers and point-of-sale materials supporting activity across seven major supermarkets.

Sparkminds modelling indicated that, without campaign activity, red meat purchase intent would have been four percentage points lower.³

Consumers will see the campaign across TV, on-demand services, social media and supermarket stores and websites.

The This & That adverts are returning across major tv channels and streaming platforms and more than 57 million impressions are planned across Facebook and Instagram, with campaign support in-store and online from seven major supermarkets.

New social content includes Balanced Plates, a video series sharing simple, balanced and nutrient-dense recipes using British beef, lamb and dairy and Farming for the Future, featuring three farmers bringing consumers closer to everyday British farming and exploring how they work alongside nature and where they can drive further positive change.

Sources

¹ Sparkminds January 2026 v September 2025

² Broadcast and social media analytics 

³ Sparkminds January 2026