BEAN FACTS (The Food Foundation)

#Legumes

Technical note here: https://foodfoundation.org.uk/sites/default/files/2025-10/Technical note_Bean Facts.pdf #data

Low Consumption: On average, people in the UK eat just one portion of beans a week, and two-thirds (66%) of the population eat less than one portion per week. To align with the Planetary Health Diet, UK bean consumption would need to increase seven-fold.
Health Impacts: Diets low in legumes are associated with up to 9,000 premature deaths in the UK each year. Beans are a powerful source of fibre; a single portion contains 100% more fibre than a chicken breast and 2.5 times more than two slices of white bread.
Dominance of Baked Beans: Baked beans are the most popular bean product. They account for 37% of adults' total bean intake and half (50%) of children's total bean intake, highlighting a need for diversification.
Affordability: Beans are a highly affordable protein source, costing on average 4.5 times less per 100g than other plant-based meat alternatives and 2.6 times less than meat.
Environmental Benefits: Beans have a vastly smaller carbon footprint than animal products. Producing one kilogram of beans emits 1.8 kg of GHGEs on average, compared to 99 kg of GHGEs for one kilogram of beef.
UK Production & Trade: The UK grows approximately 800,000 tonnes of beans annually, but most are exported or used for animal feed.
Trade Deficit: The UK is a net importer of beans, importing 500,000 tonnes annually. This represents a potential £586 million per year opportunity for UK producers if demand were met domestically.
Out-of-Home Sector Opportunity: 95% of the beans people buy are eaten at home, indicating a significant untapped potential for the food service and out-of-home sector to increase bean offerings on their menus.
Business Opportunity: Reformulating popular dishes offers a significant cost-saving opportunity for businesses. A 50/50 lentil and beef bolognese costs 22% less per serving than a traditional version, and a fully lentil sauce costs 44% less.
Recommendations for Businesses: Businesses are encouraged to join the "Keen Bean" pledge to help double UK bean consumption by increasing sales and servings, and by making beans and whole plant foods more appealing through marketing and promotions.
Recommendations for Government: The government should strengthen public procurement rules to include beans more frequently (e.g., in schools and hospitals), support the UK horticulture sector, and use farming support schemes to incentivise farmers to grow more beans for human consumption.