Showing little change from five years ago, a new poll by Gallup finds that only 4% of Americans say they are vegetarian, with even fewer (1%) identifying as vegan.
Gallup reports the findings are similar to its consumer polls in 2012 and 2018. However, the July 3-27 poll showed a lower percentage of self-identified vegetarians compared with the earliest consumer polling in 1999 and 2001, when 6% identified that way, according to a summary of the research published on the Gallup site.
Less than 1% of U.S. adults say they are both vegetarian and vegan, according to the July Gallup poll.
In previous polls, Gallup found that political liberals and lower-income adults were among the subgroups most likely to be vegetarian, and that remains the case in the latest update, according to Gallup.
“Nine percent of liberals today are vegetarian, higher than in any other key subgroup Gallup analyzed, and three times the rate of political moderates and conservatives,” Gallup said in a summary of the poll.
Lower-income Americans (7%) are about twice as likely as middle-income (4%) and upper-income (3%) Americans to be vegetarians, the poll found.
Women (6%) are more likely than men (2%) to say they eat a vegetarian diet, Gallup reported.
Despite an increase in plant-based meat substitutes, Gallup reported that trend has not coincided with a rise in the percentage of consumers who identify as vegetarian or vegan.
Americans who reported a reduction in their meat consumption typically cited health and environmental reasons for doing so, according to the Gallup poll. But these changes have not been met with an increase in Americans’ adoption of vegetarian or vegan diets, as less than 5% of U.S. adults follow either eating approach.
EDITOR’S TAKE:
Perhaps this poll points out an obvious, but unstated, conclusion – U.S. consumers like variety and they love meat in their diets. This is in no way meant to diminish the findings or the fact that millions of Americans believe vegetarian is the way to a better diet and healthy life. Freedom of choice is one of the foundations that makes our country great and unique. Whichever diet you chose is a personal choice. Farmers and ranchers produce food for everyone, no matter which diet you chose to follow. Similarly, be sure to appeal to farmers/ranchers differently than other customers. They are unique in so many ways. Beef producers are different than cherry producers, and so on. But one thing they all have in common is a love for trucks! Make sure your inventory is posted on AgTruckTrader.com.
