Shropshire Farming Talk: Protecting the reputation of dairy and red meat

The campaign was seen by an incredible 43 million adults during its Autumn 2022 and January 2023 run, and was designed to raise awareness about the nutritional value of meat and dairy as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

As we entered the campaign's third year, we continued to showcase British produce as some of the most sustainable in the world. Our message was spread across multiple platforms, including mainstream TV/on Demand, YouTube, newspapers, social media, and eight major supermarkets. We even included eight million on-pack stickers that linked shoppers to healthy meat recipes.

We Eat Balanced was created to celebrate the positive role of meat and dairy in a healthy, sustainable diet, and to dispel negative myths. During a time when consumers face significant budgetary pressures, our campaign played a vital role in highlighting the nutritional value of red meat and dairy.

Our social media activity was also highly effective, delivering over 41 million impressions and targeting the next generation of consumers aged between 18-25. Over 90% of those who saw We Eat Balanced on social media said they felt reassured that British meat and dairy are sustainable.

The campaign also had a positive impact on consumers' perception of the specific health benefits that red meat and dairy can offer. Following the campaign, there was a 6-percentage point rise in people seeing dairy as a good source of vitamin B12, supported by the endorsement of TV’s Dr Ranj Singh.

Year after year, our campaign continues to reassure consumers about the benefits of eating meat and dairy. We've noticed that consumers are increasingly using the information we provide to defend their choices, and conversations around meat and dairy have become more positive as a result of our campaign.

Article by Carrie McDermid, AHDB Head of Marketing