The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has found that purchase intent for red meat and dairy has increased among Gen Z.
The trade body reported that between September 2025 and January 2026, red meat purchase intent among Gen Z rose by 8%, alongside a 3% increase in dairy purchase intent, as detailed in a Sparkminds dataset.
AHDB said that the findings support wider insight, showing younger audiences are “increasingly open” to conversations about nutrition, food production and British farming.
It went on to say that its Let’s Eat Balanced campaign, which runs from 1st-30th September, aims to reach 80% of main shoppers, using messaging that champions 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, commented: “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.”
In 2025, Let’s Eat Balanced reached 91% of adults an average of nine times, while social content generated 265 million impressions and 41 million engagements, according to AHDB’s broadcast and social media analytics.
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 4% lower.
Consumers will see the campaign across TV, on-demand services, social media and supermarket stores and websites. The This & That adverts are returning across 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.
