Why the demand for plant-based food is increasing during the pandemic?
Plant-based food has been on the rise for years. Previously promoted towards a niche market, these days, plant-based options are much more widespread and readily available. However, the pandemic has further increased the demand for this cruelty free option. The sales of plant-based meat and dairy continue to rise, leaving standard meat and dairy behind. Plant-based meat sales are up 148% compared to 2019 and additionally, plant-based cheese sales were up 95% compared to 2019. But why is this? Why is the pandemic helping the continuous growth of this healthy food option?
Well, there are many reasons, but the fact is, a lot more people are viewing plant-based meat as a safer option to consume than regular meat. After all, the pandemic did originate from an animal, and animal agriculture is notorious for the spreading of diseases. These diseases that can be spread between animals and humans are called ‘zoonotic diseases’. The growing concern and panic of the pandemic has caused a lot of people to opt for food choices that they consider to be less risky to their health. But what are the other reasons as to why people buy plant-based food and additionally, why do many people continue to purchase it?
Coronavirus outbreaks in meat plants
During the pandemic, the fact that animal to human transmission of disease is common is not the only insight people have gained about the meat industry. During this health crisis, there have been many cases of coronavirus outbreaks within meat packaging/processing plants. This has further added to the concerns people previously held about meat products. Transparency also lacks within these meat plants, as some workers stated that they were not told that their co-workers had the virus and were not encouraged to get tested. Many of these facilities seemed to have profit at the forefront of their mind, rather than the health of their workers as their priority. These outbreaks were mainly caused due to the fact that these workers usually have to be packed closely together to keep up with the demanding work.
Why the plant-based industries are less prone to spreading coronavirus
Alternatively, plant-based meat plants have not yet had these outbreaks. These plants have safer working regulations than their conventional meat processing counterparts do. Additionally, plant-based meat requires less manual labor to be processed and packaged, making it a less crowded and safer environment for its workers during the pandemic.
