Democrats Over 3 Times More Likely Than Republicans to be Vegan or Vegetarian

The study asked people a number of questions around their perceptions and motivations in trying, or having already tried, meat alternatives such as Beyond Meat or Impossible Burger, with most people admitting to trying them purely out of curiosity, and 3 percent wanting to post their experience on social media! And political differences were perhaps not too surprising…

Motivations behind trying alt meat

• 40 percent of the people polled were curious what it tastes like
• 21 percent wanted to try it because they heard it tastes good
• 14 percent simply wanted to try something out of their comfort zone
• 26 percent of people either have tried it or want to because they believe it to be a healthier option
• 16 percent want to cut down on their meat consumption
• 16 percent want to add more plant-based food to their diet
• 11 percent want to cut down on their carbon footprint
• 4 percent of people cited being vegan or vegetarian as the main reasons
• 3 percent wanted to share about their experience on social media
• 2 percent admitting they did not want to be left out of the craze
• BUT 37 percent said they would not try a meatless fast food option anytime soon

Differences in skepticism between age groups

• 27 percent of people aged 65+ said they would never consider try a meat-alternative at a fast food restaurant
• 15 percent of people aged 35-64 and only 8 percent of 18-34 year olds would never try them

Gender

• 13 percent women vs. 9 percent men want to try meat-alternatives to cut down on their carbon footprint
• 6 percent women vs. 2 percent men were more likely to say they want to try meat-alternatives because they are vegan or vegetarian

Politics

• 32 percent Democrat vs. 22 percent Republican, 22 percent Independent are open to trying meat-free alternatives for health reasons
• More Democrats cite being vegan or vegetarian (7 percent Democrat vs. 2 percent Republican),
• Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say they would never try a meat-free alternative (26 percent Republican vs. 17 percent Democrat)

Geography

• Midwest region was the least skeptical of trying alt meat, with 9 percent Midwest vs. 19 percent West, 18 percent Northeast, and 17 percent South saying they would never try a meat-alternative at a fast food restaurant

Household income

• Interest within the under 100k HHI level is more driven by curiosity (41 percent under 100k vs. 32 percent 100k+),
• Mid-income households are more likely than affluent ones to say they are interested for health reasons (32 percent 50-75k vs. 22 percent 100k+)

Read on:

• Going vegan: 5 Simple Steps Towards a Vegan Diet
• Vegan Spreads: DIY Dairy Free Spreads with Only 2 Ingredients
• Vegan Apple Pie Recipe: A Seasonal Favorite

*The article "Democrats Over 3 Times More Likely Than Republicans to be Vegan or Vegetarian" was first published on vegconomist.com and as such the Utopia Online editorial team is not responsible for its substance. Furthermore the Utopia Online editorial team has neither reviewed nor edited said content. Contact the author here.

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