Report: Word “Meat” Carries Negative Connotation

More than 40 percent of user-generated online content around meat is negative, and it’s catching the attention of mainstream chains such as Taco Bell, reports Bloomberg Businessweek. Earlier this week, the fast food giant announced that it will be testing a “Power Protein” menu in Ohio, notably leaving out the word “meat” in its name and description. The strategy, as Businessweek points out, is a testament to the growing negative perception of meat. “The emphasis on nutrition, rather than meatiness, is one consumers are likely to notice,” writes the news outlet. The report comes at the heels of vegan chicken-maker Beyond Meat’s public declaration that it wants its product housed in the deli counter alongside other protein sources, and Hampton Creek Foods’ founder Josh Tetrick’s call for the food industry to eliminate the use of animals and move toward plant-based production.