Is veganism still spreading or has it slowed down?

[VjohnV]

I'm wondering if veganism is still spreading fast like it was when I became vegan, or if its slowing down.

I became vegan about 5 years ago, and at that time it was basically everywhere, on the news, internet, friends, family, it was the new thing everyone was talking about, though not everyone agreed with it or talked about it positively, but they still talked about it, and this lasted for a few years actually, but then it sort of seems like it died down. Now I barely hear anything about it, unless there is some new meat replacement but even then, the hype and talk is not like it used be it.

Do you all see this too?

 

[silva]

I see it being diluted by the plant based trend.
You'll find so many new product that sound vegan, but aren't. On the flip side, you can find food that sounds very questionable, because no where do they mention vegan, like Pure Farmland owned by Follow your Heart. It is vegan, but the packaging sounds so very iffy, and not at all marketed towards vegans, but flexitarians.

I also find much debate about verbage. Seems "plant based" still allows some egg, meat, dairy, but "vegan" is strictly plant based--but not at all necessary to include things outside of food.

The health documentaries are making it confusing for everyone

 

[KLS52]

I feel like wfpb is more popular but I have no statistics to back it up. I follow a FB group for wfpb and it seems harder than veganism because of the processed stuff.

 

[Lou]

just judging by the news our European members post, I think it is still increasing in popularity in Europe.

I'm not sure that it was ever "spreading fast" in the US. One of the vegan publications does an annual poll and it looks like here in the US it has remained at around 2% for years. But in parts of Europe it has doubled to something like 5%

if you look at the grocery stores, the restaurants, the celebrities, and the news as indicators it does appear to be spreading. My explanation is that in the polls the people have to self identify as vegans and that group remains more or less the same.

but people in general are cutting back on meat and dairy. so "vegan foods" are more popular than ever.
Also the climate/environmental issue has really blown up. so going meat free looks to be the smart and socially responsible thing to do.

Probably the number of people motivated by ethics/moral are about †he same. but more and more people are motivated for health or environmental reasons.

 

[silva]

I hate to think this, but it seems more like 'trends' are growing in popularity, in the US at least.
The gluten free, the Plant Paradox with beans being bad, the Perlmutter with grains being bad, the whole 'food sensitivity testing', the low carb craze,the keto fad, the Whole 30, flexitarian, Mediteranean, Paleo,.... even the blood type thing is still brewing

Getting a bit too muddled up. I just looked at the regular grocery store---they had Beyond Meat on sale. I've been emailing this store for months complaining that the plant based meat section was stuck right with the meats with no sign whatsoever. It had been under the sign "chicken". This time it was moved--under "sausage" The vegetarian frozen section includes organic meats, gluten free foods, and the new 'hybred' meat products that add vegetables!

 

[David3]

I'm wondering if veganism is still spreading fast like it was when I became vegan, or if its slowing down.

I became vegan about 5 years ago, and at that time it was basically everywhere, on the news, internet, friends, family, it was the new thing everyone was talking about, though not everyone agreed with it or talked about it positively, but they still talked about it, and this lasted for a few years actually, but then it sort of seems like it died down. Now I barely hear anything about it, unless there is some new meat replacement but even then, the hype and talk is not like it used be it.

Do you all see this too?

.
The mainstream trending of veg diets has been cycling up and down for years. Big years have been:

1971. This was due to best-selling book, "Diet for a Small Planet". The author, Frances Moore Lappe, was featured on 1970s daytime TV talk shows, demonstrating how to cook beans and rice (what a concept).

1990. This was due to the 20th anniversary of Earth Day, and the TV documentary and best-selling book "Diet for a New America" by John Robbins. PBS television played the documentary for months.

2014. I'm guessing this was due to YouTube popularity of Freelee the Banana Girl. It's unfortunate that she promoted such an extreme diet (almost entirely fruit-centered, and avoiding beans), and that she spread misinformation about nutrition and health.


Here's a 2018 Gallup poll on self-identified vegetarians in the United States: What Percentage of Americans Are Vegetarian?

 

[poivron]

I just looked at the regular grocery store---they had Beyond Meat on sale. I've been emailing this store for months complaining that the plant based meat section was stuck right with the meats with no sign whatsoever. It had been under the sign "chicken". This time it was moved--under "sausage" The vegetarian frozen section includes organic meats, gluten free foods, and the new 'hybred' meat products that add vegetables!

I have listened to a vegan podcast in which a bunch of vegan activists were very happy about this. In fact, I think they worked hard to get these products placed in the animal products section because they want animal eaters who have no interest in going to the plant-based foods section to find and buy them. These products are not made for vegans, who are still too small a minority to influence the market. They are made by vegans for non-vegans. When vegan alternatives are interspersed with non-vegan foods, without being separately labeled as vegan or plant-based, non-vegans are more likely to buy them. And every time a non-vegan buys a plant-based meat product, animals benefit.

 

[Lou]

I have listened to a vegan podcast in which a bunch of vegan activists were very happy about this.

I don't think I have listened to that podcast (BTW what was it?).
but I have heard the same exact sentiment from the producers of Beyond Meat.
As a vegan I do like that most of the vegan stuff is grouped together in little areas. It makes my shopping easier. Plus I don't want to go and look at Meat.
But only vegans go look for vegan products. if a maker of P-B meat wants a broader audience they need it in with the other meats. And although personally I don't like that - I think its a good idea.

On a semi related note. I read about a lawsuit or maybe even a new law that was about the packaging and the display of P-B products. They wanted the P-B products to not look like their counterparts. They were afraid that consumers might make a mistake and buy the P-B product my mistake. I can get behind that. Bryers non dairy ice cream looks almost exactly like Bryers dairy ice cream. and I once bought the regular product by mistake.

 

[poivron]

I don't think I have listened to that podcast (BTW what was it?).
but I have heard the same exact sentiment from the producers of Beyond Meat.

I can't remember any details because I listen to a lot of podcasts, and after a while I only remember the overall ideas. It was probably on The Hen House. I also listen to The Exam Room, but that's usually about health issues. Or maybe I listened to an interview with the Beyond Meat person on the radio and am misremembering it as a podcast.

 

[silva]

.
The mainstream trending of veg diets has been cycling up and down for years. Big years have been:

1971. This was due to best-selling book, "Diet for a Small Planet". The author, Frances Moore Lappe, was featured on 1970s daytime TV talk shows, demonstrating how to cook beans and rice (what a concept).

1990. This was due to the 20th anniversary of Earth Day, and the TV documentary and best-selling book "Diet for a New America" by John Robbins. PBS television played the documentary for months.

2014. I'm guessing this was due to YouTube popularity of Freelee the Banana Girl. It's unfortunate that she promoted such an extreme diet (almost entirely fruit-centered, and avoiding beans), and that she spread misinformation about nutrition and health.


Here's a 2018 Gallup poll on self-identified vegetarians in the United States: What Percentage of Americans Are Vegetarian?

I remember 2008, when Michael Pollan's In Defense Of Food came out. I saw a big impact on peoples interest, and acceptance, of vegans.
I wasn't fully vegan, but it was when I started really trimming down the cheese and ingredients I ate
I give him a lot of credit.

And can't forget Forks over Knives!