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Are Plant-Rich Diets Losing Momentum?
Despite plant-based meat-substitute food products becoming more commonplace, only 4% of Americans claim to be vegetarian and 1% vegan, according to Gallup’s latest Consumption Habits poll. The percentages are similar to Gallup polls taken in 2018 and 2012.
Gallup noted that while a 2019 survey showed that nearly one in four Americans had cut back on eating meat due to health and environmental reasons, the latest July 3-27 poll suggests there may have been a slight decline in vegetarianism compared with the earliest readings in 1999 and 2001 when 6% identified that way.
The Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA)’s 2022 State of the Marketplace Summary Report found that sales of plant-based food reached $8 billion in 2022, nearly double the $4.5 billion reached in 2018. Unit sales in 2022, however, were down 3% year over year amid supply chain challenges, albeit in line with the decline in animal-based food unit sales.
The organization said, “The consistent performance of plant-based foods through 2022 demonstrates consumer dedication to choosing foods that align with their values and meet their expectations related to health, sustainability, and social justice.”
A survey from Acosta Group conducted in early June found that although 88% of “active” plant-based shoppers have a moderate to high commitment to continuing their plant-based purchases, one-third of all respondents would like to see more plant-based offerings at stores. Overall, over half cited affordability as the main barrier to purchasing plant-based products.
Acosta’s study also found that Gen Z and Millennials, bigger adopters of plant-based products, were more likely to be influenced by sustainability.
A study last year from researchers led by Copenhagen University found the primary barriers to consumers becoming vegetarians, vegans, or flexitarians were the belief that humans are meant to eat lots of animal-based meat, expectations that plant-based food products would not be tasty enough, and the feeling that a plant-based eating experience is less enjoyable than the meat-eating experience.
Researchers concluded, “Future interventions should address the lay beliefs regarding the necessity of meat in a healthy diet, and the experience of plant-based foods, with special focus on their sensory characteristics and the pleasure obtained from their consumption.”
Discussion Questions
How confident are you that America’s diet will increasingly shift toward plant-based foods? What do you see as the primary barriers to greater adoption?
Poll
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Brian Cluster
Director of Industry Strategy - CPG & Retail, Stibo Systems
Lucille DeHart
Principal, MKT Marketing Services/Columbus Consulting
Plant based products have grown, but growth is now far slower as is the rate of new converts. The main barrier is that most people want a balanced diet of meat and plants, both for reasons of nutrition and because many actively enjoy eating meat. Some are also deterred by the highly processed nature of some plant substitute products. I absolutely reject university studies calling for ‘interventions’ to nudge people to plant based foods.
Affordability and wellness have pulled more consumers toward plant-based foods.
Chicken, beef and bacon prices are higher this year. Last year, inflation made the price of eggs soar by 60%.
The shift to a predominately plant-based diet is inevitable as continued population growth will dictate limits to meat-based diets regardless of preferences. New innovations in nutrition and more substantial recipies are surfacing making plants a valid choice especially among younger generations who see the climate benefits as well.
While many are convinced that a plant based diet is “the right way to eat” many are not, and most of them will not be moved. The “fake meat” trend is definitely going to slow, primarily because of the heavily processed nature of these foods. So, I am not confident in this projected shift. At all.
Further, as society continues to trend to being overweight or obese, complete with increased “acceptance” of being heavy (commercials and ads highlighting overweight people, etc.) I believe no amount of encouragement is going to increase a trend to a plant based diet.
We are what we eat, and there is not much to celebrate there.
From a West Coast perspective, it appears that more households are reducing their meat intake but, that does not mean going to a completely vegetarian diet. Besides health benefits, inflation may also be a big contributor for families looking toward alternative proteins. The retail price of beef was generally at $3.50 to $4 per pound for five years before the pandemic (USDA). However, since early 2020 the price has gone from $3.90 to over $5 per lb which adds up over the course of a year.
The potential challenge to moving toward a flexitarian diet is the recipe and meal solution knowledge. Families know their meat-based recipes by heart but how might they replace some of the meat with plant-based protein? Fortunately, with all of the online recipe sites, this is an easier obstacle to overcome vs. prior years. Grocery retailers may assist by providing additional promotions and communications on deals that feature both chicken/beef vs. a plant-based option for a go-to meal to help all customers.
Plant-based alternatives aren’t doing so bad when you consider the barriers: subsidies, massive marketing budgets, and societal conditioning that have propped up animal-based products for eons. Add in the intentional lack of visibility to meat and dairy production realities, myths that all plant-based products claim to be health food or tastes-just-like analogs to animal-based products, and sprinkle on the extra scrutiny that plant-based products receive by virtue of required dietary labeling and you’re fighting some mighty headwinds. Despite all of that, I have conversations on the regular with veg-curious folks who are genuinely seeking information and advice on integrating plant-based options and reducing animal product consumption. The majority of the folks sitting at my table during a conference dinner last week were either vegetarian or vegan. And let’s not forget that plant-based innovation isn’t standing still. Exciting, delicious alternatives are flooding into the market (ever tried Juicy Marbles steak? My flexitarian friends group text whenever there’s a new drop since JM can barely keep it in stock).
There are plenty of ways to change one’s diet without buying manufactured plant-based products.
Well, I’ve not eaten meat in 51 years….when I first became a vegetarian (I eat a little fish, though I don’t really like the taste of it and the reason for that is too long to write here), doctors would tell me “Oh, you can’t survive as a vegetarian….need more protein.” They’re changing their tune.
There are very passionate Vegans. I’m not passionate about much besides raising things to kill them (wrong, and I hate it), and my continued commitment to a plant-rich diet.
Context is important here: I’m hughly confident it is occurring; but I’m equally confident it’s happening v-e-r-y slowly. This is a multi-generational change that will far outlast any of us alive today; those that expected a five-year revolution should turn their need for excitement elsewhere