Key campaign moments
Did you know that Meat Free Monday started in 2009? Check out some key moments from the last 15 years!
2009
Paul McCartney at the European Parliament
Paul McCartney, along with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Chair Dr Rajendra Pachauri and others, spoke at a special European Parliament hearing entitled 'Global Warming and Food Policy: Less Meat = Less Heat' in December 2009. Ten years later Paul’s speech was published in 2019 by German publisher Claudius Verlag.
Find out more
2011
The Meat Free Monday Cookbook
Published by Kyle Books in 2011, 'The Meat Free Monday Cookbook' features 312 recipes (a breakfast, packed lunch, lunch, side dish, dinner and dessert for every Monday of the year). It is split into the four seasons, with contributions from celebrities and chefs. The paperback edition was published in 2013.
Try some of the recipes
2014
Lyric video
To mark the campaign’s 5th anniversary and celebrate its global reach, supporters helped create a lyric video using Paul McCartney’s ‘Meat Free Monday’ song.
Find out more
2014
Climate Pledge campaign
Mary and Stella McCartney, and the former Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change Greg Barker, led MFM’s Climate Pledge campaign in London, encouraging people to commit to a weekly meat free weekly day. Mark Ruffalo and Lily Cole got on board at a second event in New York City. The results of the pledge campaign were presented at the UN Climate Summit.
Find out more
2015
MFM awareness
MFM commissioned its first YouGov awareness survey. Of the of 2,065 adults polled, a third (30%) were trying or thinking about trying to eat less meat. A fifth (19%) said they were aware of the campaign – rising to 30% for 18 to 24-year-olds – and, of these, a fifth had actively taken part. Almost a quarter (24%) of those already eating less meat, or considering doing so, who had heard about MFM said the campaign had influenced their decision.
See the results
2017
'One Day a Week’
With appearances by Paul, Mary and Stella McCartney, Woody Harrelson and Emma Stone, ‘One Day a Week’ highlights the damaging environmental impact of animal agriculture and was released ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 23) in 2017.
Find out more
2018
'Meat Free Monday - It's Not Complicated'
Created in 2018 by award-winning independent production company Archer’s Mark, the commercial-style film ‘Meat Free Monday – It’s Not Complicated!’ highlights the excitement of cooking with children and enjoying vegetable-centred Mondays.
Find out more
2019
‘MFM Count Me In’
The #MFMCountMeIn 10th anniversary campaign brought celebrities, businesses, not-for-profit groups, educational institutions and individual supporters together, to inspire more people to get involved. A host of high-profile supporters endorsed the campaign, including Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Ringo Starr, Billie Eilish, Joanna Lumley, Paul Rudd, Isla Fisher, Nile Rodgers, Kate Moss, Chris Martin, Ainsley Harriott, Alicia Silverstone and David Walliams.
Find out more
2021
‘The easiest way to help save the world’
A tongue-in-cheek campaign supported by the UK creative industry aimed to help drive wider participation in MFM by reminding everyone that there is a simple and accessible way to lead greener and healthier lives.
Find out more
2021
Impact calculator
MFM launched an impact calculator using data from The Darwin Challenge free mobile app. The calculator helps supporters see the difference they are making by eating meat free on Mondays (and beyond!).
Measure your meat free impact
2021
Research with the Brighton and Sussex Medical School
A study by the Brighton and Sussex Medical School and MFM, published in the journal Appetite, found that meat eaters who engage in campaigns such as Meat Free Monday over a longer period of time are more likely to change their diet to vegetarian or vegan. The research revealed that more than 30% of those who engaged with the programme for five years or more stopped eating meat, with a corresponding 20% of those who engaged for three to five years.
Read the study
2022
MFM goes to Glastonbury Festival
With campaign co-founder Paul McCartney playing an historic headline set on the Pyramid Stage, MFM took the message to Glastonbury, chatting to thousands of festivalgoers about the benefits of plant-based eating.
2023
Environmental messages unearthed
In 1994, Jeff Beck, Chrissie Hynde, Elvis Costello and Mike Myers joined Paul McCartney to record a series of messages about the global impact of animal agriculture. Almost 30 years later, with the world’s increasing appetite for animal-based foods being a key cause of the climate emergency, MFM visualised these messages to serve as a reminder that all of us can make a positive change, just by what we choose to put on our plates.
Watch the videos
2024
London Heathrow Marriott embraces MFM
MFM worked with the London Heathrow Marriott on a case study to highlight how the hotel has implemented the campaign as a key part of its sustainability plan, leading to other hotels in the Marriott chain getting on board.
Find out more
2024
Meat Free Monday – Wouldn’t Miss It For The World
To celebrate the campaign, and inspire even more people to give it a try, MFM released a short video which highlights the fun of cooking meat free on a Monday. Featuring the track ‘Messed Up’ by Chenayder, which samples Paul McCartney’s ‘Coming Up’, ‘Meat Free Monday – Wouldn’t Miss It For The World’ showcases a vibrant array of plant-based dishes while emphasising the environmental benefits of reducing meat and dairy consumption.