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Sweden showed a significant decrease in meat consumption in 2017 – a shift which
has been accredited in part to the vegan movement.
Statistics
from the The Swedish Board of Agriculture showed the nation’s largest annual decrease
in animal consumption since 1990 – a drop of 2.2kg per capita.
The
previous four years had shown ‘stable’ consumption. The
report also noted a trend towards eating more animals raised in Sweden.
Evolving
trends
The
Swedish Board of Agriculture credited a series of issues for the year’s
decrease.
Agricultural Investigator, Åsa Lannhard Öberg, said: “There are many reasons for the reduced consumption of meat, but the vego trend, climate debate, health aspects and ethical reasons are some.”
Young people
This
shift may also be happening due to the dietary choices of upcoming generations.
Polling as far back as 2014 – funded by Animal
Rights Sweden (Djurens Rätt) – found that a surprising 17 percent of Swedes between
the ages of 15 and 34 were vegan or vegetarian.
Gabriela Turneborg, consumer director at Animal Rights Sweden, claimed the growth was expected.
She said: “It’s pleasing that the figures [of veg*ns] have increased over the last five years, but I would have been surprised if they hadn’t.”
