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Vegan vs. Plant-Based Diets: How Are the Consumers Different?

Vegan vs. Plant-Based Diets: How Are the Consumers Different?

July 24, 2019

People often use the terms “vegan” and “plant-based” interchangeably. But according to a recent report from market research and consulting firm Linkage Research, there are notable differences in consumers and who follow the diet.

Popularity and adoption

The plant-based food market is exploding. Just over the last year, 13% more Americans report that it’s important to choose foods that are plant-based (16% in 2019 vs. 3% in 2018).

And the sales projections reflect the booming popularity of the plant-based diet. UBS projects that the plant-based protein and meat alternatives market alone could expand from $4.5 billion to a massive $85 billion by 2030. Plant-based dairy alternatives sales are taking off too, and could reach $37.5 billion by 2025.

Meanwhile, vegans account for 7% of the U.S. population. The global vegan food market size is projected to grow to $24.3 billion by 2026.

Why people adopt these diets

Linkage Research says the driving motivators for people to choose a plant-based diet are generally health-related, while vegans may hold strong ethical convictions.

Diet adoption by age

Vegan diets are more popular with younger consumers — 60% of vegans are under 40. However, consumers who say eating plant-based foods is important span all ages, and they are significantly more prevalent in the 55+ age group than vegans.

Diet adoption by demographic

57% of health vegans are men
54% of plant-based consumers are women
50% of vegans are African-American and Hispanic
Nearly 40% of plant-based consumers are African-American, Hispanic, or Asian

Claim acceptance rate and food choices

According to Linkage Research’s findings, it appears that among the three groups, consumers don’t accept vegan and plant-based claims at the same rate. Foods with plant-based claims are the clear crowd-pleasers.

All three groups are buying more fresh fruit, vegetables, non-dairy substitutes, and meat substitutes than last year, which is helping drive overall plant-based food sales.

For more insight into vegan and plant-based consumers and trends, check out these articles.