Pret axes last of its vegetarian-only stores - with final three converting back into standard chains after slump for demand in meat-free sandwiches

Pret a Manger is set to axe their last three vegetarian-only stores and convert them into normal outlets due to a slump in demand for meat-free sandwiches.

The remaining Veggie Pret stores – two in London and one in Manchester – will all start selling meat products by the end of February.

The move will bring an end to the concept that was introduced eight years ago and is another sign that veganism’s popularity is dying out.

At its peak, there were 10 stores serving only vegetarian and vegan options across the UK which included salad bowls and falafel sandwiches.

At their peak, there were 10 Veggie Prets across the UK and, in 2019, the High Street brand had been planning to convert more until the pandemic grounded their ambitions.

The Veggie Bret Store on Broadwick Street in Soho, London which is due to reopen as a standard Pret on February 19

The remaining Veggie Pret stores will begin selling meat products like this Chicken and Butternut Risotto Soup by the end of the month

The Veggie Prets will look like this standard Pret a Manger after they are converted

In 2022, Pret closed three-quarters of their veggie-only stores as it said it was offering meat-free options at other sites and didn’t need the standalone outlets.

READ MORE: The death of vegan fast food: Experts warn plant-based restaurants could be on their way out as one starts selling MEAT and chain backed by Lewis Hamilton and Leonardo DiCaprio closes half its branches 

The two London Veggie Prets – one on Broadwick Street in Soho and the other on Great Eastern Street in Shoreditch – will be converted and begin selling meat on February 19.

Meanwhile, the Manchester Veggie Pret in Deansgate will reopen on February 26.

Despite the hiccups with their veggie-only outlets, the brand is still expanding with 41 sites opened last year.

Katherine Bagshawe, UK Food & Coffee Director at Pret A Manger, said: ‘Today, one in three of all our main meals sales are veggie or vegan-friendly.

‘Every Pret shop is a Veggie Pret shop, with new vegetarian and vegan-friendly products coming onto our menu all the time.

‘Our original Meatless Meatball Hot Wrap was born in Veggie Pret, yet it became a top five bestseller across the whole of Pret within its first week of launching, showing us how customers across all our shops want amazing veggie food.’

The development is another sign that veganism is declining in popularity after experts warned many vegan restaurants could close in the next couple of years as they struggle to compete with meat-selling eateries.

It follows a vegan fast-food chain backed by Lewis Hamilton and Leonardo DiCaprio closed half its branches while another shop was forced to sell meat to stay afloat.

The Veggie Pret on Great Eastern Street in London’s Soho will reopen as a standard Pret a Manager on February 19

Heather Mills (pictured) former wife of Paul McCartney, revealed in December 2023 that her vegan food company VBites had gone into administration as a result of rising costs

Heather Mills (pictured) at her valley vegan factory in Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, which  produced plant based food and products for VBites

Heather Mills stands on the roof of her café VBites in Hove, East Sussex, for its opening in 2009

Helen Dewdney, also known as The Complaining Cow, said that many people are abandoning veganism after realising that the lifestyle is much harder to maintain than initially thought.

WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE? 

• Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruit and vegetables count
• Base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally wholegrain
• 30 grams of fibre a day: This is the same as eating all of the following: 5 portions of fruit and vegetables, 2 whole-wheat cereal biscuits, 2 thick slices of wholemeal bread and large baked potato with the skin on
• Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks) choosing lower-fat and lower-sugar options
• Eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish every week, one of which should be oily)
• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consuming in small amounts
• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water a day
• Adults should have less than 6g of salt and 20g of saturated fat for women or 30g for men a day

Source: NHS Eatwell Guide

She told MailOnline: ‘I think many people thought it would be easier than it is to find alternatives and still have a varied diet.

‘Many are looking to just reduce their meat intake and become part-time vegetarians or vegans which in turn means that food outlets serving only a vegan menu are seeing fewer and fewer customers through the doors.

‘The cost-of-living crisis is also having an effect, as consumers generally cut back on food, vegans are cutting back on faux meat products. Interestingly this is not just the UK and we are seeing this as a global trend.’

Meanwhile, co-founder of Veganuary Matthew Glover said that vegan start ups are being outmaneuvered by more established chains who have launched their own plant-based ranges, including the likes of Greggs and McDonald’s.

He told The Guardian: ‘Too many startups are competing with established companies that have launched vegan lines and with supermarkets that are investing in own-label plant-based ranges.

‘We’ve lost some brands and we’ll lose some more in the next 12 to 24 months.’

Beyond Meat, the vegan meat alternative giant which supplies the likes of McDonalds, Starbucks and Pizza Hut, also revealed it has suffered more losses.

The company’s revenue has been falling since last year with annual sales projected to fall to just $330million this year, compared with the 2021 high of $461million.

In November, Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown told investors that the company is struggling to appeal to new customers because of perceptions that their plant-protein-based meat alternatives are overly processed and unhealthy.

Heather Mills, of vegan business VBites, announced her company had gone into administration in December 2023, after being hit by rising costs.

Sales of vegan food have been hit, as shoppers have been grappling with higher food prices and opting for meat and dairy products which are generally less expensive.

VGN Boulevard on Coventry Street in Stourbridge had been voted one of the top 10 vegan restaurants in the country for its decadent take on vegan fast food.

Their dishes included the cutting edge 3D-printed steak, a Fillay Oh Phish burger, and vegan whippy ice cream.

Beyond Meat sells sausages, burgers, mince and meatballs that are produced using plant-based protein sourced from peas

Beyond Meat collaborated with McDonalds to create and supply its McPlant burger. The vegan-friendly meal is served with eggless mayonnaise and dairy-free cheese

Researchers in Poland previously found that plant-based fast-food meals had less protein and sodium, and higher levels of carbohydrates and sugar, compared to meat-based meals

The restaurant collapsed under financial pressure in September 2023 as a result of the Covid pandemic after the loans they extended to help with furlough top-up payments prevented them from being able to make a profit.

V or V on Cornish Street in Sheffield, which picked up numerous accolades since opening in 2019, announced it closure in November 2023 at a huge loss to the vegan community.

A recent study revealed that plant-based fast-food meals had less protein and sodium, and higher levels of carbohydrates and sugar, compared to the meat-based meals.

Researchers analysed a total of 1,868 meals including sandwiches, salads, noodles and pizza from 50 fast food chains across five countries, including the UK.

These chains included Wagamama’s, Pret, Pizza Express, Leon and Burger King.

The team collected data on the calorie content, presence of allergens, and the quantities of nutrients, fibre and salt in each meal.

They found that overall, plant-based meals were not linked with having less calories.

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