Quick bites
- The vegan trend is beginning to level out
- UPF concerns are causing some consumers to turn away
- Some consumers feel being vegan is “a lesser life”
- Reasons people turn vegan are shifting from animal welfare to health
Veganism, a niche diet a few decades ago, has reached unprecedented levels of mainstream penetration.
However, with attitudes towards processed foods becoming increasingly more negative, and enthusiasm for sustainability waning, it may be at a crossroads.
The vegan food trend has spiked and began to level out, according to Faye Lewys, head of communications at the charity Viva!
This is normal for large-scale trends, she suggests, and doesn’t mean that veganism can’t continue to grow. The challenge that manufacturers of vegan and plant-based foods face is maintaining momentum.
Veganism is not falling significantly. In fact, the market for plant-based protein in Europe is still expected to grow globally, with Grand View Research predicting a CAGR of 6.4% from 2024 to 2030.
Nevertheless, uncertainty remains. How significant are the headwinds against the vegan trend? Where are these obstacles coming from?
The UPF debate
One of the main sources of scepticism towards the vegan diet comes from consumer concerns around ultra-processed foods. UPFs are still one of the primary food-related concerns for many consumers, and plant-based meat alternatives are often considered ultra-processed (although a study by FoodNavigator showed that sliced bread often has more additives).
These concerns have had an effect on consumption itself, suggests Nusa Urbancic, CEO of Changing Markets Foundation.
Meat sales are going up in places such as the US, for example. However, Urbancic suggests that this is very concentrated, with the majority of meat being eaten by young men.
Meat consumption is also back on the agenda for consumers who have lost enthusiasm for the alternatives.
Also read → Meat and dairy rebound as plant-based stalls
Many would suggest that whole foods are the answer to this dilemma. However, according to Claire Ogley, head of campaigns, policy and research at the The Vegan Society, previous attempts to encourage consumers to eat vegan whole foods have not cut through to consumers.
The development of plant-based meat was a response to this failure, she explains; an attempt to “meet them where they’re at,” and provide vegan versions of popular foods such as sausages.
Why people do (and don’t) become vegans
There is a wide range of reasons as to why people go vegan, explains the Vegan Society’s Ogley – concern around animal welfare for example, or fears around climate change.
The arguments that have turned people vegan have shifted as time has gone on as well. In previous years, Ogley explains, the most successful arguments in favour of veganism would be around animal welfare.
Now, however, the Vegan Society is turning to making health-based arguments, in line with the broader consumer shift towards health.
Also of consequence are the reasons that people don’t become vegan. One of the most prominent reasons, she explains, is the perception that it involves sacrifice, or even living “a lesser life.”
Many consumers also find the experience of searching for vegan options, especially while out and about, cripplingly impractical.
Veganism, as a trend, has not evaporated. It is just facing headwinds. Depending on where the next few years take consumer views on both practicality and processing, it is entirely possible that it could continue to grow.
