Meat slips down menu

A survey shows New Zealanders are eating more vegetarian meals. Photo/file

A third of Bay residents expect to be mostly meat-free by 2025, a new survey found.

More than half of Kiwis say they are eating less meat, and a quarter expect to be mostly meat-free by 2025, as they focus on their health and budget according to the results of the Bean Supreme survey.

The survey, which investigated the eating habits of more than 1000 New Zealanders, found that one in four (24 per cent) of those surveyed expected to be mostly meat-free within the next seven years.

One in five of those surveyed (21 per cent) said they chose to have a meat-free dinner for more than half of the week.

In the Bay, a third (31 per cent) of people surveyed expected to be mostly meat-free within the next seven years.

Health played a key role in their selection of a vegetarian meal choice with four in 10 (38 per cent) respondents giving this reason, this was followed by cost (38 per cent) and concerns for animal welfare or the environment 12 percent. Only two percent of those surveyed said they did not eat meat due to religious considerations.