2. Definition:
A vegetarian is defined as „Someone who lives on a diet of
grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits with, or without, the use of
dairy products and eggs.‟ (from the Vegetarian Society website)
They also do not eat shellfish, fish, poultry or game.
A vegetarian‟s diet consists of mainly fruit and vegetables, nuts, pulses, seeds
and grains. Unlike vegans they can consume products from animals like milk
and eggs.
There are different types of vegetarians. A lacto-ovo-vegetarian eat both dairy
products and eggs, which is the most common diet. Lacto-vegetarians eat dairy
products but do not eat eggs. The last one is vegans, who do not eat anything
that comes from animals.
Lacto-ovo-vegetarians mainly eat free-range eggs because of the welfare
objections that are associated with poultry farming.
3. Demographics:
The number of total vegetarians in the United Kingdom stood at between 3 and
4 million people in 2003. Studies have also indicated that there are twice as
many vegetarian women than men. In America, 42% of ages 18-34 identify as
vegetarian, but only 17.4% of people over 55 are vegetarian. This is because
over recent years, being a vegetarian has become easier thanks to the
existence of groups that offer support, advice, and tips for newcomers.
The UK is listed with the third highest vegetarian rate in the European Union
according to The Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Between 1993 and
2003, the number of vegetarians in the UK doubled. A survey in 2012 recorded
1.2 million vegetarians in the UK, just 2% of the total population of 62 million.
As well as this, Vegans accounted for 0.3% in the UK in 2007, with around
162,000 total. 90% of vegans chose their lifestyle because of ethical or moral
reasons, and just 1% for spiritual or religious reasons.
The information I have collected here is vital to our project as it allows us to
produce a product specifically aimed at the target audience. Using gender and
age data, we can adjust our styling accordingly, using slightly feminine yet still
gender neutral images and graphics as there is a larger percentage of female
vegetarians to males.
4. Reasons:
People are drawn towards vegetarianism for many different reasons and motives.
-Many people believe making the switch will allow them to lead longer, healthier lives because the low
cholesterol and low fat vegetarian diet will prevent or reverse cardiovascular diseases, obesity and
even reduce the risk of cancer. Michael F. Roizen says that switching to a vegetarian diet can add 13
years to your life expectancy.
-The majority of toxic chemicals and pesticides come from meat and many harmful heavy metals such
as mercury, arsenic and lead are found in fish. If you are vegetarian and do not eat these food items
you will avoid the toxins.
-A lot of vegetarians decide to not eat meat and fish because of their concern for animals. The recent
publicity surrounding the cruel conditions of factory farmed animals have seen an increase in the
number of vegetarians over past years.
-Some religions have strong links to vegetarianism and many of these religions originated in India, a
country with one of the highest vegetarian rates in the world. Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism are all
religions that encourage vegetarianism, with it being mandatory if you are a Jain.
-Hindu‟s avoid eating beef as they believe the cow to be a sacred animal. Some Hindu‟s avoid animal
flesh in all forms as the Yajur Veda says “one must not use ones God-given body to kill Gods
creatures, whether human, animal or other”.
-The meat industry has a devastating effect on the environment. In America the Environmental
Protection Agency blame animal waste run-offs from farms for more than 173,000 miles of polluted
river. Pesticides, fertilizer, fuel use for farming equipment and transporting meat and livestock also
contribute to environmental damage.
5. Companies:
There are several special companies that are dedicated to serving the niche
vegetarian market. They are either independent or more often a dedicated wing
of a larger established food company, such as Kellogg. They themselves have a
branch called Morningstar, which produces a range of vegetarian products such
as burgers, cakes and breakfast meals. They are the largest vegetarian
producer in the United States.
Another company marketing to vegetarian and vegan markets is Honest to
Goodness, a UK outlet that sells a variety of biodegradable and ethical products
such as beauty products, food and toiletries, all of which are free of slaughter by
products. They also sell soap that does not contain any animal fat.
Veestro is another example of a dedicated vegetarian food supplier operating in
America. They produce a variety of plant based food and drink with all organic
ingredients, with their philosophy tying in with the common problem of
vegetarians not being able to find the time to cook meat free meals.
Bourgeois Bohème is an example of a vegan based clothing company in
London. They sell a range of goods that do not use animal skins and furs,
substituting them for faux fur or leather instead to create fashionable goods like
shoes and clothing.
6. Companies:
One of the bigger companies focusing on vegetarian foods is Quorn, who are
based in the UK and are the leading brand of faux meat sold in Europe. This
mycoprotein is used in many vegetarian products as a substitute for meat, thus
making often restricted dishes available to vegetarians.
Linda McCartney is another big company specializing in vegetarian and vegan
food. Their products are available in the UK, Ireland and Australia and they sell
a variety of pastries, burgers, sausages and pastas.
The final example is Redwood Foods, who produce a wide range of veggie
burgers, fish products, chicken and sausages for sale in the UK.
7. Non vegetarian products:
-To be vegetarian approved and gain the vegetarian society‟s stamp or approval on their packaging a
product must fulfil a list of criteria set out by the Vegetarian Society;
•Produce must be free from any animal flesh (meat, fowl, fish or shellfish), meat or bone stock, animal
or carcass fats, gelatine, aspic or any other ingredients resulting from animal slaughter.
•If eggs are used they must be free range.
•There must be no genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
•There must be no cross contamination between vegetarian and non-vegetarian produce during the
production process.
•No animal testing involved in any of the production processes. (from the vegetarian society website.)
-Because of these criteria not only the obvious meat, fish, poultry and shellfish are banned, vegetarians
have a much wider range of foods they must not eat depending on how strict they are; vegans being
the most restricted.
-Some orange juices such as Tropicana are fortified with added omega-3‟s that derive from fish.
-Some sauces such as Worcester sauce contain anchovy.
-Jelly, marshmallows, gummy bears and many other sweets are often made using gelatine.
-Some hard cheeses may contain rennet, a product that consists of enzymes culled from the stomachs
of sheep and other animals.
-Some alcoholic drinks, particularly beer, wine and cider, as part of the filtration process use isinglass
from the swim bladders of some fish. Guinness and StellaArtois Cidre are two well known brands that
contain isinglass.
-Cochineal or E12 is used in red food colouring and is made from crushed insects so is not vegetarian
approved.