In June 2023, the Hong Kong-based youth environmental group EATcofriendly surveyed 446 people, finding that 86% of responders to their survey want to see more plant-based options in public places and that 79% want the government to set up emissions reduction targets and lower-carbon food production strategies. Additionally, 70% believe that Hong Kong restaurants do not offer enough meat-free options.
The group is now calling on the Hong Kong government to change their food policies, including reducing emissions from imported foods in carbon neutrality policies and modifying dietary guidelines.
Lorraine Wong, from Eatcofriendly, said to RTHK News, “When we look into the examples of Paris and Seoul, they have already set a target of 50 percent of food selling in the government sector being plant-based”. Nathaniel Yuen, another member of the group said, “If we add the consumption-based emissions, the distribution of the emissions from different sources will be changed drastically. If we look at the example of New York City, food actually contributes to around 20 percent of emissions… which is comparable to transport [emissions].”
In 2020, 83% of Hong Kong citizens said they were planning to reduce their meat consumption, while Deliveroo Hong Kong saw a 104% increase in the number of vegan options available.
Didier Chanove, Business Development Director for Plant Alternatives at Kerry APMEA, told vegconomist in 2021, “The potential for Asia’s plant-based market is high: limited land space, food safety concerns, consumers’ greater proactive approach to health, and the increased focus on sustainable production will continue to challenge the food industry, and this, in turn, will open more opportunities for alternative proteins.”
Hong Kong is a city and a special administrative region in China, with 7.4 million residents in a 1,104 square-kilometre territory. Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated territories in the world, so if more plant-based food is served there, many would benefit.
