New research released today has revealed that over four in ten (41%) families in the UK currently follow a flexitarian diet or meat-free diet, with 65% also trying either vegetarian or vegan meals in the last 12 months.

The study of 2,000 British families, which was commissioned by Quorn to celebrate the launch of our new Roarsomes dinosaur-shaped nuggets, revealed that British families are now trying to eat at least two vegetarian or vegan meals in a week, with over half (51%) saying that they would consider going vegetarian full-time if they knew it would benefit the environment.

According to UK parents, over 1 million families are currently following a vegan or vegetarian diet – with 43% saying their children have at some point followed a meat-free diet. Six in 10 (60%) also say that they think our diets need to change in the future to help the environment and 42% of parents also say they’ve shared meat-free recipe ideas with friends to encourage them to consider meals that are more planet-friendly.

Of those families whose meals regularly include meat, their top reasons for sticking with the routine are that their child or children are fussy eaters, they believe that meat-based meals taste better and that they find it easier to make meals more filling when including meat.

To encourage families to consider trying more meat-free meals with our new Roarsomes dinosaur nuggets, we unveiled a giant T-Rex dinosaur that will be giving unsuspecting shoppers a ‘Roar-some’ surprise at Westfield Shepherd’s Bush Shopping Centre. It will be roaring at shoppers until Friday 17th September to let them know that dinnertime doesn’t have to be dull.

Dubbed ‘Roary’, the dinosaur was installed in the wake of the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) report, revealing that the earth is now on ‘code red’ alert when it comes to climate change.

Roary took five weeks to build and includes 34 teeth, fearsome lifelike eyes and a roar that is up to 75 decibels. It will be letting out a giant roar at opportune moments as shoppers pass by.

The 3-metre animatronic creature is part of a new campaign unveiled by the brand to encourage the nation to try the UK’s first vegan dinosaur nuggets. Coated in delicious breadcrumbs, Quorn Roarsomes come in three different shaped dinosaurs – T-Rex, Brontosaurus and Stegosaurus – which, like all their products, are created with Quorn’s unique super protein mycoprotein; a protein source that is high in fibre and low in saturated fat and is also more sustainable to produce compared to meat proteins.

Perfect for families looking to cut back on their meat consumption, Quorn Roarsomes provide families with a quick, easy and delicious swap into meat free, without having to compromise on their favourite meal.

Gill Riley, Marketing Director at Quorn, said: “I think every parent can relate when it comes to trying to inject some fun into mealtimes. With Quorn Roarsomes, not only will dinner time be fun for kids, but it means families can also play their part in helping our planet by swapping meat for a delicious and sustainable meat-free dinosaur treat. We cannot wait to see the reactions to our ‘Roar-some’ new addition to the Quorn family!”