An article in the Washington Post had this headline: "You might thing there are more vegetarians than ever. You'd be wrong." Cited were these stats showing the level of vegetarians has not increased in several decades: "The number of Americans who self-identify as vegetarian or vegan has remained steady over the past 20 years — and it’s still a pretty small group, according to a recent Gallup poll. Five percent of Americans identify as vegetarian, a rate that has remained unchanged since the previous survey in 2012. In 1999, when the survey was first taken, as well as in 2001, 6 percent of Americans identified as vegetarian. Rates of veganism have followed a similar trajectory. This year, 3 percent of respondents identified as vegan — a slight increase from 2 percent in 2012."
However, those statistics don't provide a complete picture because other numbers indicate that the number of people eating less and less meat - flexitarians - is definitely on the increase. A recent British study found that one third of diners in the United Kingdom are meatless. And there are more options than ever before: Market research firm Mintel found that the number of new vegetarian products introduced to the market doubled between 2009 and 2013. According to Gallup, sales of plant-based food grew 8.1 percent in 2017 and exceeded $3.1 billion last year.
Furthermore, there is ample evidence which indicates that merely reducing meat consumption brings health benefits to the body as well as to the planet.
However, those statistics don't provide a complete picture because other numbers indicate that the number of people eating less and less meat - flexitarians - is definitely on the increase. A recent British study found that one third of diners in the United Kingdom are meatless. And there are more options than ever before: Market research firm Mintel found that the number of new vegetarian products introduced to the market doubled between 2009 and 2013. According to Gallup, sales of plant-based food grew 8.1 percent in 2017 and exceeded $3.1 billion last year.
Furthermore, there is ample evidence which indicates that merely reducing meat consumption brings health benefits to the body as well as to the planet.
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