JUMPING THE GUN: A post-mortem on veganism and plant-based meat is premature
“Plant-based eating has lost its appeal”, “Vegan burgers are losing the culture war over meat”, and “Why the vegans lost”. These eulogies for veganism tend to downplay this critical point: taking on the meat industry — a monster machine with unparalleled lobbying and marketing resources — was never a fair fight. Since the rise in popularity of plant-based meat alternatives, the meat industry has actively campaigned to undermine them, portraying these products as unhealthy and unnatural. This is not the time for a plant-based post-mortem. The success or failure of the vegan movement cannot be measured solely by profit, market power or the popularity of a diet trend…
It was 2020, and documentaries like What the Health and The Game Changers — released a couple of years earlier — were opening eyes to the benefits of eating a plant-based diet. Beyond Meat had just gone public to major fanfare, and oat milk was the trendy new option at corner coffee shops. The cultural message was clear: Being vegan was cool.
Today, headlines suggest the opposite. In March, The Atlantic reported that “Plant-based eating has lost its appeal.” Earlier this month, The Guardian reported that “Vegan burgers are losing the culture war over meat.” And in an August Financial Times opinion piece, “Why the vegans lost,” Henry Mance wrote that “meat-free advocates were relying on mass conversion … that isn’t happening,” adding that vegans could never win because they “were trying to upturn thousands of years of human cuisine.”
There are definitely data points to support this conclusion. Beyond Meat is rebranding in the wake of a major financial bailout, vegan restaurants are closing or adding meat to their menus, and meat consumption — namely chicken — is higher in the U.S. than ever before.
However, these eulogies for veganism tend to downplay this critical point: taking on the meat industry — a monster machine with unparalleled lobbying and marketing resources — was never a fair fight… Since the rise in popularity of plant-based meat alternatives, the meat industry has actively campaigned to undermine them, portraying these products as unhealthy and unnatural. Through targeted advertisements and websites — such as Clean Food Facts, created by the Center for Consumer Freedom — meat-backed efforts have painted plant-based meats as synthetic and ultra-processed…
In stark contrast to the U.S., Denmark offers a compelling example of how government support can guide cultural acceptance of plant-based diets through integration rather than replacement. In 2023, the country launched the world’s first national action plan for plant-based foods, investing €170 million ($200.4 million USD) to strengthen the industry, from farming and innovation to public procurement and culinary education.
Rather than framing it as a threat to meat, the plan sidesteps polarizing labels like “vegan” or “vegetarian” and avoids setting targets to cut meat consumption. Plant-based options are presented as a business opportunity and climate-smart choice. This positions the plant-based sector as complementary, rather than disruptive to the meat industry…
This is not the time for a plant-based post-mortem. The health of the plant-based food market — or of Beyond Meat alone — does not reflect the broader potential of plant-forward diets to shift culture… Success is not measured by short-term sales spikes or viral trends. It comes from steady integration, with plant-based foods becoming normalized, accessible and appealing. JESSICA SCOTT-REID
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