Compulsory plant-based catering at Warwick University rejected by Student Union

Warwick University's Student Union (SU) has announced it will no longer be implementing a fully plant-based catering service by 2027, citing financial challenges.

The decision, made by the Unions’ Board of Trustees, comes despite the passing of a motion in autumn last year that requested all SU outlets provide 100% plant-based food and drink options by the start of the 2027/2028 academic year.

In a statement published earlier this month, the SU explained that the decision, which was made by the Board of Trustees, took place after “careful consideration of the practical and financial challenges” associated with such a “significant” transition.

The statement added it needed to be “realistic about the changes we make” and emphasised the need to be “financially sustainable and considerate of the diverse needs of our student community.”

The decision is a blow to campaigners from the Plant-Based Universities group, an offshoot of Animal Rising, who are lobbying universities to ban meat and dairy in favour of fully vegan menus.

At the time, concerns were raised by the Countryside Alliance on whether forcing a vegan diet upon Warwick’s 28,621 students was fair, after only 2.7% of the student body took part in the vote. Even on a low turnout, the vote only narrowly passed with 774 students voting in favour of the motion, 518 voting against and 180 students abstaining.

The Countryside Alliance urged students who care about British farming and freedom of choice to fight back and push for another vote. The motion’s proponents had pushed the idea that plant-based diets were the only way to meet sustainability targets. However, data suggests that British meat is amongst the most sustainable in the world. Farmers contribute to sustainability goals through regenerative farming techniques and the production of renewable energy.

Reducing food miles is a far more effective way of countering emissions through food production and the Countryside Alliance has been leading the ‘Rural Fightback’ campaign around the nation, urging councils to commit to sourcing locally-produced meat, dairy, and vegetable products at their events, in a bid to resist calls to go vegan.

The news from Warwick comes at a time when consumer attitudes show a move away from plant-based foods. Last year, Nestlé announced it was withdrawing its vegan ranges - Garden Gourmet and Wunda - from sale in the UK, saying the products were simply “not viable”. Last May, British sausage company Heck, announced it was reducing its range of meat-free products, citing a lack of consumer appetite.

In November 2023, students at Cardiff University voted to reject a motion that would have seen all union catering outlets go 100% plant-based by the 2026-27 academic year. It followed a similar vote at Edinburgh University, which saw students reject a motion to mandate plant-based menus at its Student Association venues. In 2019, the University of East Anglia voted to overturn a previous decision to switch to all-vegan catering at its SU outlets after a vote was held by its wider student body.