Are more people becoming vegetarians?

[Mathematician]

I might not be at liberty to talk about personal experience since the students I have in mind partake in our school's literary magazine, but I was surprised to find that at least three or four other people in my 3rd period were vegetarians. Four vegetarians in one room in Texas is VERY rare. It's like driving through a small town and not seeing a church.

I was wondering if more Westerners are becoming vegetarians? Does anyone know if there are statistics out there affirming or disproving my suspicions?

 

[astarath]

i wouldn't say there are more they have always been there we are just starting to recognize it more

 

[dawny0826]

For some people...it's trendy.

 

[Paladin]

I think to find the most accurate stats, go and look at what the marketing people are doing. I notice more and more that supermarkets, restaurants, etc.are offering vegetarian meals. I went veggie some years back and have noticed some significant changes in what is being offered out there.

Peace
Mark

 

[Jaymes]

While I don't know of any statistics, my personal experience tells me I've been meeting more vegetarians over the years than I did 5 or 10 years ago.

 

[lilithu]

I've always moved in lefty circles and there have always been a fair number of vegetarians amongst us. I don't have the impression that the over all number of committed vegetarians is increasing. What I do perceive is that more and more people are willing to eat "veg" more often. That is, instead of thinking that they must have meat at every meal, they might only have it occasionally.

Certainly the increased number of vegetarian products in the grocery stores is a godsend.

Here:

Veggie-Tales To the Editors of American Demographics:

Do you have any stats on the vegetarian market in the United States? Is it growing? Informal research says it is, but maybe that's just what I want to hear. Do you have any sources in-house or know where I can look to confirm or deny these suspicions?
Deborah Grove
Director, Market Research
Grove & Assoc.
Palo Alto, Calif.

Dear Deborah:
Certainly the availability of vegetarian foods has increased over the past few years, and we hear a lot of anecdotal reports that the number of vegetarians in the population is on the rise. But the truth is the data just doesn't support those rumors. According to several studies, the percentage of vegetarians has remained relatively constant in recent years. One such study, from market research firm RoperASW, shows that between 1978 and 1998, the number of strict vegetarians (those who never eat meat, poultry or fish) remained stable at 1 percent. Another set of surveys, sponsored by the Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG), conducted in 1994, 1997 and 2000, show the number of vegetarians in the U.S. was 1 percent in 1994 and 1997, and 2.5 percent in 2000. While, those numbers may seem to suggest that the percentage of vegetarians more than doubled between 1997 and 2000, the survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. So we can't be sure whether the increase is real.

Atlanta-based HealthFocus International, which surveyed over 2,000 primary grocery shoppers in 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2000, also reports that the number of vegetarian shoppers has remained constant, at about 2 percent. But, in addition to tracking strict vegetarians (those who always maintain a vegetarian diet), HealthFocus also keeps tabs on those who "usually or sometimes maintain a vegetarian diet." This group makes up 19 percent of all shoppers, for a grand total of 21 percent of primary shoppers who are full- or part-time vegetarians.

And it appears as though occasional vegetarianism is catching on. The National Restaurant Association reports that 16 percent of adults ordered more vegetarian entrees at restaurants in 2000 than they did in 1998. Veggie items are more popular at pricey restaurants. Ninety-one percent of restaurants with an average check price of $25 or more offer vegetarian entrees, compared with 72 percent of restaurants with an average check of less than $8. If only the McVeggie burger would catch on!

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4021/is_2001_Nov_1/ai_79501185

 

[Booko]

Purely anecdotal evidence, of course, but when I was in college there were all of 3 vegetarians on campus, all shall we say rather "artistic" girls.

Now I see vegetarians of every stripe imaginable. Since I often do volunteer catering to groups from 50-300, I'm continually having to take into account the dietary habits of those I'm serving.

I *always* have to provide at least one vegetarian (and preferably vegan) dish, because I can guarantee there will be at least a dozen vegetarians who show up. They are no longer 19 year old girls who are toying with the idea. These are people of all ages, male and female, who have been vegetarians for years and who are raising their children to be vegetarians as well. That's a huge shift here in the past 30+ years.

 

[jamaesi]

I'm going to go with the there's more idea. When I became a vegetarian I was the only one in my school, granted, I was in Middle School. Now I meet a lot more vegetarians.

They are no longer 19 year old girls who are toying with the idea.

Now now, I'm 19 and seen a vegetarian/pescetarian since I was 9.

 

[xexon]

I'm working on my 25th year as a vegetarian. There are certainly more around than when I started. The benefit of this is an increase in vegetarian safe foods in common grocery stores.

A lot more to choose from than the crappy tasting stuff we had back then. Bleh.


x

 

[Fluffy]

Everyone found out that I was one. What can I say? I'm a trend setter.

Actually there does seem to be a ton of veggies nowadays. A good portion of my friends are vegetarian which leads me to believe that buying stocks in veggie joints will be a very good investment if the trend continues into the next generation.