Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, and major supermarkets have launched a campaign to double UK bean consumption by 2028. The initiative, named Bang in Some Beans, aims to promote beans as a healthy, affordable, and climate-friendly food source.
Oliver stated that beans are "delicious and affordable" and "plant-based powerhouses packed with fibre." The campaign highlights that beans are 4.5 times cheaper than other plant-based meat alternatives and high in fibre, with only 4% of Britons meeting their recommended daily intake.
Supermarkets including Lidl, Sainsbury's, M&S, Waitrose, and Ocado have pledged to increase sales and advertising of bean products. A report by the Food Foundation supporting the campaign found that UK bean consumption would need to increase sevenfold to meet the Eat-Lancet planetary health diet.
Beans fix nitrogen in soil and are a sustainable alternative to carbon-intensive proteins. Fearnley-Whittingstall encouraged exploring "new beany recipes" from around the world. The Food Foundation is seeking more businesses to join the crusade to boost bean consumption for health and the environment.
