One-Quarter of New Zealanders to Drop Meat by 2025

A new survey conducted by food company Bean Supreme found that New Zealanders are increasingly interested in ditching meat. The company surveyed 1,000 residents around New Zealand and found that one in four (24 percent) planned to eat a mostly meat-free diet by 2025. People between the ages of 18 and 24 were most interested in reducing their meat intake and 21 percent of respondents chose to eat a meat-free dinner for more than half of the week. While most participants chose vegetarian meals for health reasons (42 percent), other determining factors include cost (28 percent) and animal welfare concerns (14 percent). When compared by region, residents of Auckland were most interested in following a vegan or vegetarian diet in the coming years. “Kiwis’ developing interest in a ‘flexitarian’ diet has led to the introduction of more products, which fit this lifestyle option,” Bean Supreme representative Liz O’Meara said. Bean Supreme’s survey echos the results of a similar poll conducted last year by research firm Roy Morgan Research, which found that one in 10 Kiwis identified as always or mostly vegetarian.