One in Three New Zealanders Are Ditching Meat 

One in three New Zealanders (34 percent) are reducing their meat consumption or not eating meat at all, according to new research by market research company Colmar Brunton. The study—commissioned by alternative protein companies Food Frontier and Life Health Foods—looked at people’s attitudes toward meat, broken down by age and region. Among the 1,107 participants, baby boomers are leading the progress in meat reduction while most vegans and vegetarians are millennials. The study estimated that one-third of the country are meat-reducers and “flexitarians” (primarily vegetarians who occasionally eat meat), and this group has grown 18 percent in the last year. New Zealanders cited heath as the number-one reason for decreasing meat intake, helping to reduce the chance of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. The environment, animal welfare, cost, and the increasing variety of plant-based options available closely followed as reasons to reduce meat intake. Additionally, the study found that people identifying as vegan are most likely to live in Auckland, and Wellington is the vegetarian capital of the country.