Students at Edinburgh University have voted to reject a motion that sought to ban meat and dairy at all of its outlets, following concerns such a move would be 'divisive'.
Vegan campaigners at the university put the motion forward, but only 19% of the 812 students who voted were in favour of it.
Plant-Based Universities (PBU) Edinburgh campaigner Emily Kemp called the vote outcome "a setback", adding that going vegan was a "step that must be taken".
If the vote had been backed by the majority of students, menus would have become 50% vegan by 2025, with meat and dairy totally removed by 2027.
In 2020, students at Edinburgh rejected a similar motion to ban meat from campus menus.
Responding to the latest motion, the Scottish Countryside Alliance said any ban on animal-based products was 'illogical and illiberal'.
Jake Swindells, its director said: “Knowing where your food comes from and how it is produced is far more important than whether it is animal or vegetable.
"Imposing a ban on meat and dairy would be unnecessarily divisive, an attack on freedom of choice and counterproductive.
"Edinburgh University should instead opt for sourcing local produce, cutting the distance travelled from supplier to plate and not discriminate based on dietary preference."
It follows Oxford City Council unanimously voting in favour of providing only plant-based options at its events.
British food campaigners criticised the move as a "slap in the face to Oxfordshire farmers".
In November 2022, Stirling became the first Scottish university to impose a plant-based menu.
