Britain’s Vegetable Intake Hits 50-Year Low

Britain is eating fewer vegetables than at any point in the past half-century, with consumption continuing to slide despite years of public-health campaigns — as reported by The Times.

According to national dietary data, the average weekly intake of fresh and processed vegetables (excluding potatoes) has fallen by around 12 % since 1974, dropping to under 1 kg per person.

The decline is particularly stark among long-loved British staples: cabbage consumption has plummeted by around 80 %, Brussels sprouts by 87 %, cauliflower by 40 % and peas by 74 %. By contrast, vegetables such as courgettes, cucumbers and mushrooms have grown in popularity compared with the 1970s.

The shift comes against a backdrop of soaring purchases of ultra-processed foods. Today, the average Brit buys more than seven times as many vegetable-based ready meals as in 1974, alongside a 560 % increase in meat-based ready meals. Crisp consumption is up 200 %, ice-cream 430 % and pizza 177 %.

Leading voices in nutrition are warning of the consequences. Chef and campaigner Jamie Oliver argues that the nation is “not eating enough of the good stuff”, and suggests that the traditional five-a-day fruit-and-veg target is now outdated — proposing seven to ten portions instead.

Dietitian Nichola Ludlam-Raine calls the data “deeply concerning but not unsurprising”, pointing to the rapid rise of ultra-processed food and the convenience-driven choices shaping modern eating habits.

Henry Dimbleby, author of the UK’s national food strategy, sums it up succinctly: “Our food system makes the bad stuff easy and cheap to eat and the good stuff expensive and hard.”

For growers, importers, wholesalers and retailers, the trends are a clear call to action. If staple vegetables are falling out of favour while processed alternatives surge, the sector must do more than simply supply produce — it must inspire consumers to choose it.

• Product and promotion innovation – convenience-led fresh formats, prepared but minimally processed, could help bridge the gap between health and ease.

• Consumer engagement – campaigns, especially those targeting younger audiences, need to make vegetables feel accessible, enjoyable and modern.

• Supply-chain storytelling – provenance, freshness and value are powerful tools that can reframe vegetables as the natural choice.

• Policy engagement – the sector has a strong role to play in shaping healthier food environments through standards, marketing rules and school-meal reforms.

Ultimately, the data raise a deeper question: if a nation that prides itself on fields, farms and food heritage is drifting away from the very produce it grows, what does that mean for the next fifty years of British eating?

The answer — and the opportunity — lies in whether the fresh produce industry can help turn the tide, not through warnings or willpower alone, but by making vegetables irresistible again.