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Partners including The Food Foundation and Veg Power have launched the Bang In Some Beans campaign, which aims to double UK bean consumption by 2028. They collectively argue that beans are healthy, planet friendly and affordable.  

Jamie Oliver, chef and campaigner, said: “It’s no secret that I love beans. Not only are they delicious and affordable, they’re plant-based powerhouses that are packed with fibre, are a brilliant source of protein and live happily in your store cupboard for ages. If there’s anything we should be eating more of, it’s beans.” 

Lidl GB, Sainsbury’s, M&S, Ocado, Waitrose, Bidfood, ISS and Harvester are among the first food businesses to become ‘keen bean pledgers,’ making commitments to increase sales or servings of beans.

Bidfood has pledged to increase volume sales for all bean products (including composites) by 30% by 2028 and ISS is aiming to increase procurement of beans by 25% by 2028.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, chef and campaigner, added: “Beans are fantastic for your health and are packed full of fibre, protein and micro-nutrients. Put simply, we should all be eating more of them.

“The Bang In Some Beans campaign is bringing together chefs, influencers and food businesses so we can all get excited about trying new beany recipes, whether that’s exploring exciting dishes from all over the world, or simply banging some beans into family favourites to give them a brilliant boost. Beans really are a super useful and super special ingredient, and there’s no end of ways to enjoy them in your cooking." 

Food businesses, from retailers to restaurants, are now being called on to follow suit and join the ‘bean revolution’. Simultaneously, thousands of children are taking part in The Big Bean Boost in schools.

The Food Foundation has published its Bean Facts report, which has found:

• Beans are a real-life superfood and are a triple win for health, climate and affordability
• Diets that are low in beans are associated with up to 9,000 premature deaths in the UK each year
• On average we eat just one portion of beans a week, and two thirds of the UK population (66%) eat less than one portion of beans a week
• Currently half of children’s bean intake (50%) and over a third (37%) of adult’s total bean intake in the UK comes from baked beans, with huge potential to diversify the beans we are eating
• To align with the Planetary Health Diet, UK bean consumption would need to be seven times higher than it currently is, with beans having a lower carbon footprint than other sources of protein