Veganism is a growing trend, and Gen Z is the driving force behind it.
Health concerns are the main reason vegan Gen Zers have changed their diet, a MIDSS study. Animal welfare and environmental factors were also cited as a reason for turning towards a plant-based diet.
“I do believe that incorporating more plant-based meal options into one’s diet can benefit everyone,” Yelena Wheeler, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who reviewed the study, said. “However, it is also important to understand that the vegan diet can be challenging, and one needs to be dedicated to making it healthy and successful.”
Most vegan Gen Zers believe veganism is a positive lifestyle and plan on keeping up with their current diet in the next couple of years. However, 79% of non-vegans said they wouldn’t become vegan in the next five years. The main reason is being unable to give up meat and worrying about nutritional deficiencies. A lack of Vitamin B12, which is exclusively found in animal protein, is one of them.
Wheeler says the most common mistake when going vegan is not doing enough research or speaking with a nutrition professional prior to making the change.
“Many new vegans do not eat enough whole foods, tending to go for imitation animal products that are often highly processed and lack fiber and other essential nutrients,” she said, although there are a growing number of options out there.
“Gone are the days that one needs to only eat tofu and rice every day as a staple of veganism,” Wheeler said. “I believe that plant-based diets—at least more incorporation of plant-based meals within our daily diet—will continue to increase,” she adds. “Between the sustainability, environment, and costs of the current way, the trend to change is looming.”
And she is right. Lab-grown meat is projected to be a $25 billion global industry by 2030, according to McKinsey research. A survey conducted by the firm found that 77% of respondents could be persuaded to purchase meat alternatives – 87% of them were Gen Zers.
Yet, some countries are pushing back against lab-grown meat as it seen as being at odds with cultural heritage. The Italian government recently introduced a draft law that would ban the production and sale of lab-grown meat, according to Bloomberg.
Though, “this development puts Italy at odds with the rest of Europe, where other governments are eager to unlock the benefits of cultivated meat,” Alice Ravenscroft, head of policy at the Good Food Institute Europe, which represents the alternative protein industry, told the outlet.
In Great Britain, Gen Z was found to be the generation most likely not to eat meat in 2023, according to a study conducted by Statista.
