New research commissioned by Lidl GB suggests that UK diets remain significantly out of step with recommendations for healthier and more sustainable eating.

Analysis conducted by WPI Economics found that Britain reached its 2026 Planetary Health Diet Overshoot Day on 25 July. This is the point at which the country had effectively exceeded its recommended annual balance of different food groups under an interim target based on the EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet.

The Planetary Health Diet is a framework designed to support human health while keeping food production within environmental boundaries. It promotes diets containing more fruit, vegetables, beans, pulses, lentils, nuts, seeds and wholegrains.

According to the Lidl-commissioned analysis, people in the UK are consuming only 40% of the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables and around 15% of the recommended level of fibre-rich wholegrains.

Consumption of plant-based protein, including beans, pulses, lentils, nuts and seeds, stands at just 18% of the suggested level. By comparison, animal protein consumption is 60% above the framework’s recommendation, while consumption of foods high in added fats and sugars is also 60% higher.

Dairy and starchy vegetable consumption were found to be broadly aligned with the recommendations.

The findings were calculated using data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey. WPI Economics translated the Planetary Health Diet’s 2050 objectives into an interim target for 2026 before comparing current UK consumption across eight food groups.

Separate consumer research commissioned by Lidl highlights the commercial and financial challenges involved in changing eating habits. In a Censuswide survey of 2,000 UK adults, excluding Northern Ireland, 45% named affordability as one of the biggest barriers to eating more healthily and sustainably.

The research also found that 65% were concerned about the effect of their diet on their long-term health, while 52% wanted more guidance on eating healthily without increasing their grocery bill.

Richard Bourns, Chief Commercial Officer at Lidl GB, said: “These findings are a wake-up call. As a nation, we’re at a dietary tipping point, and we need a big shift in how we eat to ensure we’re consuming more of what we’re currently lacking.

“Our research shows people want to make healthier and more sustainable choices for the planet, but often affordability stands in the way. At Lidl GB, we’re breaking down those barriers by proving that market-leading value can go hand-in-hand with making foods encouraged by the Planetary Health Diet more affordable and accessible.”

Lidl says it is the first British retailer and discounter to align its sales targets with the principles of the Planetary Health Diet.

The supermarket has committed to increasing the proportion of plant-based foods it sells by 20% by 2030. It also aims for plant-based products to represent 25% of total protein sales, increase the share of wholegrain products sold to 25% and categorise 10% of its own-brand range under its Live Well health and sustainability marker by the same year.

Bourns added: “By highlighting how quickly we have overshot the Planetary Health Diet targets, we also hope to bring balance to Britain’s diet by working with retailers, policymakers and producers to make better food accessible for everyone.”

The findings point to opportunities for food and drink producers to develop affordable products containing more fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and plant-based sources of protein, while helping consumers incorporate these ingredients into familiar meals.