Vegetarianism may not be the largest trend in the food industry at present, but surprising numbers of young people are opting to go meat-free, while an aging population has its own reasons behind avoiding meats.
How much of a market is there for vegetarian products? A 2009 Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) survey found about 1% of American consumers identify themselves as vegan, roughly a third of the number who regard themselves as vegetarians, but the group’s 2010 survey found a surprising amount of vegetarians among Americans between 8-18.
The VRG survey conducted by Harris Interactive found 7% of 8-18-year-olds say they never eat meat, with 12% of 10-12-year-old boys indicating they do not. Some 3% of the U.S. youth polled indicated they never consume meat, poultry or fish/seafood; 1% of the group never eats dairy, eggs or honey. The VRG noted, “When marketing to vegetarians, these numbers make a good case for producing vegan products, as well as creating items which will appeal to youth who are not vegetarian, but don’t eat meat. Remember that vegans also tend to be the ‘activists,’ who will push your product or business.” Furthermore, judging purely by the number of young people avoiding meat, the next generation would appear to be embracing vegetarianism at a rapid pace.