Lidl's £4.79 high protein beef is like 'play-doh' as people horrified by contents

A 'first-of-its-kind' Lidl product has caused quite the divide between shoppers after hitting the shelves just days ago.

The 'high protein' minced beef, at five percent fat, is a new product which combines minced beef with pea protein and other preservatives.

However, it has been doing the rounds on social media in recent days after first being made available to shoppers, and has been likened to looking like 'play-doh'.

At 37g of protein per serving, the new product contains various other ingredients, including pea protein at 20 percent, a supplement derived and extracted from yellow and green split peas, sodium metabisulphite and beetroot powder.

While Lidl markets the hybrid mince as a budget-friendly and easy way to reach protein goals, public opinion appears to be split with some shoppers skeptical over the mince.

The product has gone viral (Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)

Bodybuilder Eddie Abbew was among those who spoke out on TikTok about the product and its ingredients.

He said: "High protein beef mince. Guys, don't let them do this to you. Just buy proper mince.

"This is 60 percent mince and then 20 percent pea protein and then seasoning and then preservatives. It's even got maltodextrin in it."

Maltodextrin is a highly processed white powder made from plant starches and can be used to add bulk to processed foods and extend the shelf life of packaged items.

Health expert Maxine Pye also hit out on social media, writing on X: "Lidl has started adding PEA PROTEIN to beef mince… and calling it 'High Protein Beef Mince.'

"No, seriously. Apparently beef wasn’t protein enough.

"So we’re taking beef, one of the most naturally protein rich foods humans eat, mixing pea protein into it, then putting a massive HIGH PROTEIN label on the front as though we’ve somehow improved meat.

"If I pick up a packet labelled BEEF MINCE, I want beef mince."

As per GoodFood, it is part of Lidl's new high protein meat range, which claim to 'deliver at least 20 percent more protein than traditional equivalents.'

It combines minced beef with pea protein and other preservatives (Lidl)

It claimed that the new range reflects an interest in hybrid products, which combine meat with plant-based ingredients.

It follows the supermarket's line of other high-protein products, including their chocolate mousse and yoghurts, which are popular with shoppers.

Responding to posts on X, the mince seemed to attract attention over both its appearance and ingredients list.

"Butchers it is, then," one user wrote.

Another commented: "What concerns me most is the bigger trend toward reformulating traditional whole foods, then marketing the reformulated product as an improvement."

Meanwhile, its appearance was noticed, with users on a separate Reddit forum likening it to 'play-doh'.

"That doesn't look like meat from where I'm sitting," read one comment, as someone else added: "They look absolutely horrendous."

Announcing the launch of the high protein range, Lidl said: "Did someone say first-of-its-kind high-protein meat?

The high protein beef hit shelves earlier this month (Matteo Della Torre/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

"Protein has quietly become the thing everyone's trying to get more of - in their lunch, their dinner, their weekly shop. Searches for ‘high-protein meals’ are up 5,000 percent year-on-year, but 51 percent of shoppers say cost is what's actually stopping them.

"So we're fixing that."

The supermarket giant added: "There's a bigger idea behind it. The range addresses key plant-based protein gaps highlighted by the EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet to benefit both planetary boundaries and human health.

"We're proud to be the only GB retailer setting a clear target for our protein split, pushing for plant-based options to make up 25 percent of our total protein offering by 2030. Blending pea protein directly into everyday meat staples helps make that transition seamless."

Calling 'This is More to Value in action', Lidl concluded its post: "It's not just the price on the shelf - it's the extra protein, supporting a move toward more balanced diets, and the fact that none of it costs you more time or money to access."

LADbible has contacted Lidl for comment.