A new study conducted by MIDDS surveying 3,000 US citizens in February 2023 about veganism has shown that 70% of Gen Z vegans think will continue having a vegan diet in five years’ time. Gen Z is the generation of people born between 1997 and 2012, who are the first people born into a fully digital era, as well as the most racially and ethnically diverse generation in US History.

However, disappointingly, only around 17% said they chose the vegan diet because of animal cruelty, with another 17% for the environment, and almost three times more for health reasons. Therefore, it is quite possible that the sample of people classed as vegan in this study is only plant-based people who do not follow the vegan philosophy. 

Other key results of the study are: 50% of vegans pursue a vegan diet because of its health benefits; the biggest challenge for vegans is that 37% crave non-vegan foods; more than 7 out of 10 vegans expect to continue their diet for the next 5 years; 60% of vegans say they educate those around them about the benefits of veganism with the hope that people will follow; more than 51% of vegans said that the biggest barrier to starting the diet was understanding the health benefits; more than half of non-vegans said meat cravings are their biggest barrier toward veganism; 48% of non-vegans doubt the positive environmental impact of veganism, while 40% believe it; nearly 80% of non-vegans said they will not go vegan within the next five years; 73% of non-vegans and 52% of vegans don’t know what “flexitarian” means.

“Originally from Catalonia, but resident in the UK for several decades, Jordi is a vegan zoologist and author, who has been involved in different aspects of animal protection for many years. In addition to scientific research, he has worked mostly as an undercover investigator, animal welfare consultant, and animal protection campaigner. He has been an ethical vegan since 2002, and in 2020 he secured the legal protection of all ethical vegans in Great Britain from discrimination in a landmark employment tribunal case that was discussed all over the world. He is also the author of the book, ‘Ethical Vegan: a personal and political journey to change the world’.