Health website Medical Inspiration Daily for a Stronger Society (MIDSS) recently polled 3,000 Z people to gain new perspectives on the future of the food and health industry. According to the survey, the Z demographic (those born between 1997-2012) is currently the main driver of the vegan market, with 70% of those who identify as vegan saying they will continue the diet within the next five years.
“Gen Xers obviously like it more than other generations.”
To conduct its survey, MIDSS said it surveyed 3,000 vegans and non-vegans belonging to the age Z population in February 2023.
Among its top findings, the survey found that nearly 50% of vegans chose the lifestyle because of its perceived health benefits, 17% because of animal cruelty concerns and another 17% chose the diet for environmental reasons. About 60% of vegetarians say they educate those around them about the benefits of vegetarianism to inspire others to adopt the lifestyle.
Environmental beliefs
While 40% of vegans said they believed their lifestyle had an overall positive impact on the environment, nearly half – or 48% – of vegans said they doubted the positive environmental impact of veganism. This finding, the authors suggest, may indicate a lack of public education about the negative effects of animal agriculture and meat consumption on the environment.
Barriers to adoption
Among respondents who were already vegetarian, 70% said they had no plans to quit. However, 51% reported that the biggest barrier to starting the diet was understanding the health benefits, while 37% of vegetarians reported craving non-vegan foods.
Among non-vegans, 80% said they had no intention of becoming vegetarian in the next five years, with more than half saying meat cravings presented the biggest obstacle. Additionally, 73% of non-vegans reported not being familiar with the term “flexible.”
These findings, MIDSS says, present a rich opportunity for expanding education for the food and health industry Promotes a better understanding of the health and environmental benefits of plant-based eating, as well as available meat alternatives and other plant-based foods.
“The idea that a plant-based diet is the best choice for both physical and mental health is gaining traction,” says MIDSS. “And while veganism may still seem a bit extreme to most of the population, Gen Xers clearly love it more than other generations. Their plant-based choices are also changing the health and food landscape as we know it.”