5 facts about meat and dairy alternatives: Which is the most vegan canton in Switzerland?

class = “sc-cffd1e67-0 fmXrkB”>

Vegan fondue, vegan salmon, vegan cordon bleu, vegan tiramisu; What once seemed impossible is now available at nearly every retailer. Therefore, dairy and meat substitute products continue to be in demand. Due to the Veganuary trend in January, where people try to eat vegan, customers are turning to alternative shelves more.

Swiss retail trade generated sales of 134.4 million francs with milk replacers in 2023, according to a survey by market researcher Nielsen. Sales of milk alternatives increased by 6 percent compared to the previous year. One in seven milks purchased from Coop is a vegan version. Oat milk is the most popular among customers.

However, sales of meat substitutes fell by 1.5 percent to 86.8 million francs. However, overall sales of meat substitutes have increased sharply since 2018. It’s nearly quadrupled when it comes to burger substitutions.

The schnitzel substitute is still unbeatable. With a turnover of 16.3 million francs, these foods are the most popular. This is followed by sliced ​​meat, sausage and burger alternatives.

Unsurprisingly, urban areas rank high in the cantonal rankings. The canton of Zurich is and continues to be the home of vegan substitute fans. Meat and dairy product alternatives are mostly sold here. As Nielsen’s analysis shows, substitute products are also popular in the cantons of Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, Zug, Aargau and Lucerne.

Also exciting: The Rösti moat is clearly visible in the sales of meat substitutes. Meat alternatives do not seem to be very popular in French-speaking Switzerland. Milk substitutes are in greater demand.

In a global comparison, Europe falls far behind. Global market research company Nielsen counts only 5 percent of people on a vegetarian diet in a study it conducted. Only 2 percent eat vegan. Asia is the region with the highest number of vegetarians with 19 percent and vegans with 9 percent.

One country in particular stands out. Various studies estimate the proportion of vegetarians in India to be 25 to 40 percent (!). Many people turn to meat substitutes for religious reasons. Mexico follows with approximately 20 percent. The proportion of vegetarians in Switzerland increased from 2.9 percent to 5.0 percent from 2015 to 2022.

The trend is yes! Scientists at Britain’s University of Southampton certainly think so. The higher the IQ in childhood, the more likely it is to become a vegetarian and use substitutes in adulthood. A 15 percent difference in IQ increases the likelihood of becoming a vegetarian by 38 percent.

Source :Blick