UK plant protein shift saves retailers money; Roundup escapes cancer suits

Sustainability consultancy Eunomia modeled three routes for UK food retailers to meet their Science Based Targets initiative FLAG (Forest, Land and Agriculture) Scope 3 emissions obligations, releasing the analysis for Madre Brava at London Climate Action Week [65]. Animal proteins account for approximately 79% of UK retailers' Scope 3 FLAG emissions. A "medium" dietary shift, a 35% drop in meat consumption, 50% of protein foods from livestock sources, 32% of dairy from plant sources, would deliver 64% of required reductions alone while increasing retailer profitability through higher margins on plant alternatives. Agricultural improvements alone deliver just 13% of the FLAG target and require an estimated £150 million in capital from retailers. Nine of the UK's ten largest retailers have committed to SBTi FLAG goals, with an average reduction target of around 30% by 2030. Lidl GB, the only UK retailer to set a quantified plant protein target (25% of total protein sales by 2030), reported a near-700% rise in own-brand meat-free and plant-based milk sales, exceeding its prior 400% goal [65]. Tesco holds plant-based at just 9% of protein-rich food sales despite a 39.4% FLAG commitment and recently dropped a target to triple plant-based meat alternative sales against its 2018 baseline.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 on June 25, 2026 in Monsanto Company v. Durnell that the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act expressly preempts state-level failure-to-warn lawsuits against Roundup [90]. Bayer had paid more than $11 billion settling over 100,000 cancer cases since acquiring Monsanto in 2018. The World Health Organization classified glyphosate, Roundup's active ingredient, as a probable human carcinogen in 2015. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, joined by Justice Gorsuch, dissented, writing the majority "misunderstands FIFRA's requirements" and leaves cancer patients "without a remedy for the significant harms" they suffered [90]. Bayer announced a $7.25 billion class settlement, now pending in Missouri state court, to resolve current and future claims. Food & Water Watch, Center for Food Safety, and prominent MAHA advocates including some Trump supporters condemned the ruling [90]. The Pesticide Injury Accountability Act, which would restore state-level recourse, has failed in 11 states this year and was stripped from the House Farm Bill.

The Good Food Institute's 2025 US foodservice analysis shows dollar sales of non-dairy milk grew 16% to $288 million, outpacing a 4% rise in conventional milk, with plant-based milk now holding 13% of total milk-pound sales [61]. Plant-based creamers reached $189 million in dollar sales and hold 28% of all creamer-pound sales, the largest category share of any plant alternative in foodservice. GFI credits both gains to coffee chains removing plant-based surcharges and making plant-based the default. Plant-based proteins (meat alternatives, tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers) posted $291 million in dollar sales but saw pound sales fall 5%, against a 2% increase for conventional meat [61]. Eighty-five percent of restaurants don't offer a plant-based dish on the menu, and restaurant purchases of plant proteins fell 15%. Plant-based meat carries a 65% price premium over conventional meat. Tofu and tempeh are 41% cheaper than meat and the only plant proteins cheaper than their animal equivalents. Non-commercial outlets, education, healthcare, government, bucked the restaurant trend, with plant-protein purchases rising.

Biscuit maker Pladis launched McVitie's Jaffa Cookies, soft-baked cookies with a tangy orange center half-coated in a dairy-free chocolate flavoring, now in Asda stores nationwide at £2.50 for a pack of six, with wider UK supermarket distribution expected from the week of July 20 [43][103]. The product swaps the original Jaffa Cake's egg-containing sponge for a cookie base, and uses a dairy-free coating, making the cookies accidentally vegan. The packaging carries a "vegetarian" label rather than a vegan one due to cross-contamination risk on shared lines handling milk and eggs [43]. Lidl's Tower Gate brand has separately introduced its own Jaffa Cookies, described in community posts as "soft and a bit chewy, with a definite Jaffa cake taste." No certified vegan Jaffa Cake exists in UK retail. This product, like Oreos and Jammy Dodgers, falls in the accidental-vegan category: no animal ingredients in the recipe, no vegan certification on the label.

England and Wales introduced a new Food in Prisons Policy Framework in February 2026, replacing 2010 rules [105]. The 2026 framework explicitly recognizes ethical veganism as a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010 and frames vegan food provision within the human right to freedom of belief. Vegan meals are now included in minimum menu requirements for both lunch and the evening meal across all prisons. Prison Catering Managers are directed toward the Public Sector Equality Duty, which requires proactive rather than reactive accommodation: prisons must think ahead about vegan provision rather than waiting for problems to arise [105]. The framework mandates nutritionally adequate vegan meals including supplementation, fortified drinks, and oils where needed, with explicit attention to B12. Prisons must formally consult with prisoners about whether meals meet their ethical dietary needs. The 2010 rules required a technically animal-free meal. The 2026 rules require a nutritionally adequate one.