According to a new Mintel report, the number of vegan products in Australia has increased by 92 percent since 2014.
Released just days before Australia Day, one of the largest meat-eating holidays Down Under, the report states: “Many Aussies will be foregoing tradition by grilling vegan steaks while enjoying a gluten-free beer in celebration of the day.
In 2016, one in eight of all products in Australia carried a vegetarian claim, with 6 percent labeled “vegan. The increase in plant-based products comes with the trend among Australians to avoid meat. In fact, one in seven surveyed said that they avoided or intended to avoid red meat in 2016.
Laura Jones, Mintel’s trend and innovation consultant, said:
Although Australia is still one of the largest meat eating populations globally, health and environmental concerns, along with cost have changed Australians’ attitudes when it comes to meat consumption. Australians have become more mindful in recent years of the amount of meat and the frequency of which they eat meat.
This shift in Australia is part of a worldwide movement away from animal products. Over the past decade, veganism has seen consistent growth as millennials, the world’s largest generation, purchase their own foods. This health-conscious generation, which is also concerned about the environment and animal welfare, boasts a greater number of self-identifying vegetarians than any other, explains The New York Times.
NBC reports that according to Google, searches for “vegan” increased by 33 percent in the past year alone. This is slightly higher than the increase from 2015 to 2016.
New York-based Baum + Whiteman recently released its 2017 food and restaurants forecast and expects to see an uptick in vegan meat sales as meat lovers wean themselves off of animal products.
As vegan foods become more accessible, it’s never been easier to ditch animal products. Join the growing number of people who are taking a stand for animals, the environment, and their own health by transitioning to a plant-based diet.
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