Veganuary 2024: Vegan advertising blitz across Northern Ireland by Go Vegan World may be reaction to findings by QUB Professor Chris Elliott, says UUP

A series of hard-hitting ads are featured on 100 buses across Northern Ireland.

They include slogans such as “It’s Not a Personal Choice When Someone is Killed” and “Dairy Takes Babies from their Mothers”, aimed to ignite conversations.

Go Vegan World say they want to challenge the public to “consider the ethical consequences of their actions and counter the argument that veganism infringes on personal choice”.

However UUP Agriculture spokesman Tom Ellioitt, who is a cattle farmer, claimed that the messaging smacks of desperation.

Mr Elliott said: “I note that a leading food scientist at Queen’s University in Belfast has warned many plant-based substitute meats are of little nutritional value — and may even be harmful to pregnant women. The Professor said that the process of creating ‘fake meat’ can have almost no nutritional value despite people believing it is a healthier alternative.

“This information must be of concern to the Vegan lobbyists, therefore they are attempting to create emotive messaging."

He queried what would happen to farm animals if they were just left to predators and said many people across the world “would love to have the food and dietary choice we have”.

Mr Elliott was speaking as Professor Chris Elliott, a food security expert at Queen’s University Belfast, said most fake meats are largely made up of processed soy or pea protein.“These proteins have nothing apart from calories, there are no other nutritional benefits [for people],” he said. “They are bereft of fatty acids, they are bereft of essential vitamins.”

He told the Daily Telegraph that pregnant women are “most at risk” from them “because they are going to be very short of omega-3, vitamin b12, and vitamin D”.

Professor Elliott claimed profit margin on plant-based food is five times that of conventional food and is being pushed by big companies for profit.

Last May the Guardian reported that Oatly, Nestlé and Innocent Drinks were among large brands pulling vegan products from UK shelves due to stagnating sales.

It reported that the cost of living crisis was a factor, with vegan products often more expensive than meat or dairy products.

In May last year, Donaghadee-born Bear Grylls said he felt “embarrassed” that he used to promote veganism.

Not only has he now ditched being vegan, he eats a diet that’s heavy on red meat and no vegetables at all – and the adventurer insists the health benefits he’s reaping from his meat, blood and bone marrow diet eclipse anything he gained from being plant-based.