The Economist named 2019 The Year of the Vegan. And in 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a report exploring the benefits of a plant-based diet for a healthy life.
Veganism is endorsed by many organizations and celebrities, owing to which a growing number of people are turning away from animal products and actively embracing a plant-based lifestyle.
But will vegan food continue its onward march in the future?
Will it dominate menu cards in the coming years? Or will it simply co-exist side-by-side with other carnivorous options?
What Is Veganism?
Most people think of veganism as a dietary choice, with a diet consisting of plant-based foods. However, veganism is actually a broad lifestyle choice based on eschewing all products made from animals. This includes food products such as meat, fish, honey, eggs, or milk, as well as non-food products like leather bags, silk clothing, elephant tusks, and alligator skin shoes. The core philosophy of veganism is rooted in compassion for all living beings.
This is why many vegans also avoid products that are tested on animals, such as cosmetics or pharmaceuticals. Others also say no to products that exploit human labor such as chocolates or coffee to maintain consistency with their vegan ethics and beliefs.
Veganism Vs Vegetarianism
Veganism and vegetarianism are related but separate philosophies. Veganism is a stricter form of vegetarianism that restricts its followers from consuming any kind of animal-based products and not just food. Vegetarianism only eschews certain animal-based food products like meat, eggs, and fish. Other products such as milk and honey are acceptable to vegetarians.
This subtle but distinct difference is one reason why veganism has been slow to take off in India. As a milk-loving country that’s long been dubbed “the vegetarian capital of the world”, India has a fairly large proportion of vegetarians (20% in 2018). However, the proportion of vegans in this birthplace of “ahimsa” (non-violence) remains fairly small.
And yet, followers of Buddhism and Jainism in India do practice a form of veganism because these religions are rooted in the idea of ahimsa. Further, new evidence suggests that the vegan movement is gaining pace in India – even if it’s at a slower pace than in many other countries, particularly in the West.
The Rise Of Global Veganism: Evolving From Fringe To Mainstream
Veganism is growing at a fast clip in many traditionally meat-eating countries like the UK, USA, Canada, and Australia. For instance, in the UK, meat consumption has declined by 17% over the past decade, while the number of vegans has increased by 40% to around 1.5 million in 2020. In the U.S., the vegan population increased by 300% between 2004 and 2019, amounting to nearly 10 million people.
People in other countries are also adopting vegan diets in increasing numbers. In Germany for example, an estimated 1.3 million people identify as vegan. Israel even has some villages whose entire populations are strictly vegan. In addition to a growing vegan population, Israel also has a thriving food industry to develop alternative proteins.
The Future Of Veganism: Fad Or Cultural Phenomenon?
As the number of people identifying themselves as vegan increases, the vegan food industry is also gaining ground. For example, in the U.S., between 2017 and 2018, the sales of plant-based alternatives to animal-based foods such as meat, cheese, milk, and eggs grew by 17%. The market value for such foods was over $3.7 billion. In the same period, overall food sales rose by just 2%.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), global meat production will increase to 455 million tons in 2050 from 318 million tons in 2016. So clearly, vegans will not replace the carnivores and the pescatarians.
However, more and more consumers will continue to adopt a vegan lifestyle for a variety of reasons. One is to embrace the many health benefits of a vegan diet. Other reasons include compassion for animals, greater awareness of the impact of meat production on the planet (and on climate change), as well as prices, taste, and convenience.
As these consumers look to diversify their diet with plant-based foods or adopt an entirely plant-based diet, more companies will join the vegan bandwagon to satisfy these needs. Vegan food startups will also get larger investments from venture capital firms and more notice in the press.
Further, non-profits like the Good Food Institute will continue to support the idea of alternative protein innovation, not only to promote veganism as a healthy lifestyle but also to improve food security and mitigate the environmental impact of meat production on the global food system.
Conclusion
The idea of a purely plant-based diet and lifestyle may not completely replace the need to consume animal products. However, veganism will continue its onward march into the mainstream. And this can only be a good thing for humans, animals, and the planet.
