The award-winning Cumbrian-based garden centre has released a new report, as part of its campaign to promote meat-free barbecuing to customers.

Brits are estimated to have 168.3million barbecues this year and Hayes Garden World has looked further into barbecue meat consumption in the UK to better understand Brit’s habits during this key summer activity. The report findings have been presented in an online guide to encourage customers to explore different cuisines on the barbecue.

Using research from several sources, including the Kantar annual supermarket report, Hayes  calculated that, in 2018, over 165,000 cows were slaughtered to make barbecue just for the summer months in the UK. This equates to enough cows to fill Wembley Stadium nine times.  

Research also revealed that, from June to September 2018, a total of 36,876,000kg of meat was eaten on the barbecue; the equivalent weight of three Eiffel towers. As many as 325million burgers were also bought in this period, which when laid side by side, equals almost the circumference of the earth and the amount spent - £211million pounds - could buy more than three islands in the Bahamas. 

The national barbecue retailer investigated the nation’s barbecue meat habits and unveiled these calculations as part of its campaign to encourage more people to swap their BBQ for a VVQ, opting for vegan and vegetarian cuisine instead this summer.

Studies show that one in three barbecue guests are likely to opt-out of eating meat, meaning that a BBQ of 10 people is likely to have at least three vegetarian or vegan guests to cater for.  

As well as the health benefits of hosting a VVQ, there are also positive environmental impacts. Hayes Garden World’s calculations have revealed that, the resources needed to raise one cow could produce 27,440 soy burgers instead.

Given the countless benefits of switching a BBQ to a VVQ, the BBQ retailer has also created a Knowledge Hub full of unique vegan and veggie recipes from professional chefs and the garden retailer’s own customers. A competition is also underway, which invites members of the public to submit their own VVQ concoctions to win a luxury barbecue.

Hayes Garden World ecommerce manager Lyndan Orvis said: “Barbecues are a summer event that many households look forward to as a chance to spend time with friends and family, enjoy good food and soak up the summer sun.

“However, the figures are surprising and show that, whilst many of us enjoy eating meat on the barbecue, it could be more resourceful and also healthier to try swapping some products for meat-free alternatives.”

“Barbecues are essential summer events, so it’s good to see that there are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options on the high street to ensure that everyone can get involved, regardless of their dietary preferences. It’s good to see that the barbecue experience can still be enjoyed without meat products.”