Current Events > More and more Germans are kicking animal meat to the curb. Embracing vegan.

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.freshfruitportal.com/news/2023/01/30/veganism-rising-in-germany-usda-says/

https://vegconomist.com/market-and-trends/german-meat-consumption-record-low-plant-based-record-high/

A country commonly associated with meat-based dishes, Germany now has the highest rate of vegetarianism in Europe, with veganism quickly rising to over 1.5 million according to a recent report by the USDA.

Germany is the second largest importer and third largest exporter of consumer oriented agricultural products worldwide, and by far, the most important European market for exporters.

Data published this week by Germanys Federal Information Centre for Agriculture reveals that, in 2022, per capita meat consumption fell by around 4.2 kg to 52 kilograms per person compared with 2021, lower than at any point since calculations began in 1989.

The report states that Germans consumed about 2.8 kg less pork, 900 grams less beef and veal, and 400 grams less poultry last year. Encouragingly, this translates to net production of animal meat: 9.8% less pork and 8.2% less beef and veal were produced domestically compared to 2021, while net production of poultry meat was down 2.9%.

Germanys meat consumption has been steadily in decline over recent years, with the countrys interest in meat-free living further bolstered by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, who famously declared in 2022: One thing is clear: we will have to eat much less meat, and, in the long term, we could reduce meat consumption by 80 percent. But not only in Germany, but worldwide, because it is simply very difficult to produce meat without massive CO2 waste.

The SPD Minister also stated in an interview a few months later: Meat consumption in Germany is, after all, completely unreasonable in many respects, bordering on the delusional if you think about it. It already starts with cruelty to animals. The animals usually live in torment, the cheap meat cannot be produced otherwise.

The news comes in the same week that separate data compiled by Nielsen and published by GFI Europe demonstrated that sales of plant-based foods in Europe have grown 6% in 2022 (22% since 2020) to reach 5.7 billion, with Germany representing the highest plant-based food sales value in Europe, and the Netherlands having the highest average plant-based food spend per capita.

Public procurement of plant-based foods, policies that encourage the growth of the plant-based industry, investment in alternative protein product research and innovation, and incentives for farmers to transition away from meat and dairy production are among the actions urgently needed to avoid climate breakdown.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/6/3/AAaB-xAAEWuf.jpg

Photo in the OP is vegan meatballs with cabbage btw.

I could go for some vegan meatballs right now

Wasnt one of germanys infamous leaders a vegan?

And in this shit hole bacon is a meme.

ZannoL posted...

I could go for some vegan meatballs right now

I'll never get this mentality.
"I won't eat meat, but I'll eat highly processed crap that kinda sorta tastes like meat"

TheSavageDragon posted...

I'll never get this mentality.
"I won't eat meat, but I'll eat highly processed crap that kinda sorta tastes like meat"

Meatballs can be made with things like chickpeas, lentils, tofu, etc.

Not everything vegan is Beyond Meat and Impossible.

Hmmmmmmmmm

There's a former German leader vegan joke

But I'm above that swine

Not so
ubermensch now

ZannoL posted...

Meatballs can be made with things like chickpeas, lentils, tofu, etc.

Not everything vegan is Beyond Meat and Impossible.

That's called falafel though. I just don't get dichotomy of swearing off meat and then calling other things bacon, meatballs,... or trying to get the same flavor with all the processed junk.

I still don't see the point in fake meat.

Or so the Germans would have you to believe.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


Traditionally falafel is fried, yeah. And meatballs traditionally contain meat.

ZannoL posted...

vegan meatballs

So not meatballs?

hockeybub89 posted...

I still don't see the point in fake meat.

It's good for someone who likes the taste and texture of meat but abstains for other reasons, like health, environmental, or ethical concerns.

You'd never get me eating any of that crap.

TheSavageDragon posted...

That's called falafel though. I just don't get dichotomy of swearing off meat and then calling other things bacon, meatballs,... or trying to get the same flavor with all the processed junk.

Because they're former meat eaters that miss the flavor and texture of meat?

PlantBased posted...

It's good for someone who likes the taste and texture of meat but abstains for other reasons, like health, environmental, or ethical concerns.

Too bad fake meat is not like real meat and is also not healthy. Just don't eat meat at all. Sounds like some vegans and vegetarians aren't as strong in their convictions as they thought. If I ever give up meat, you'll never see anything meat-shaped on my plate ever again.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

Rebel

Full_Pokedex posted...

Rebel

You can't play your Switch if you don't eat your artifical meat.

hockeybub89 posted...

Too bad fake meat is not like real meat and is also not healthy. Just don't eat meat at all. Sounds like some vegans and vegetarians aren't as strong in their convictions as they thought. If I ever give up meat, you'll never see anything meat-shaped on my plate ever again.

If you ever give up meat, I'll pick it back up. That's how sure I am that you'll always be a reactionary blowhard who can't even do the bare minimum but acts like they can pass judgment on other people.

I could consider a vegetarian lifestyle, but vegan is too much for me. Also, I wouldnt eat imitation meat because it smells bad to me.

hockeybub89 posted...

Too bad fake meat is not like real meat and is also not healthy. Just don't eat meat at all. Sounds like some vegans and vegetarians aren't as strong in their convictions as they thought. If I ever give up meat, you'll never see anything meat-shaped on my plate ever again.

man gave you a real reason and you thought let me be a jackass about this

dipshit

hockeybub89 posted...

If I ever give up meat, you'll never see anything meat-shaped on my plate ever again.

The issue vegetarians have with meat is not the shape of it, hope this helps.

Meatarians are so terrified of beans, lentils, tofu, and rice.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

It adds flavor.

oh my god all I'm saying is that there is no point to fake meat. I truly have no issue with vegans or vegetarians and I absolutely eat too much meat.

hockeybub89 posted...

oh my god all I'm saying is that there is no point to fake meat. I truly have no issue with vegans or vegetarians and I absolutely eat too much meat.

The bad take on fake meat aside, you concocted a whole-ass alternate reality in which you were your severely misinformed idea of a model vegan so you could look down actual vegans in the real world. Spare us the indignation.

More schnitzel for me.

PlantBased posted...

The bad take on fake meat aside, you concocted a whole-ass alternate reality in which you were your severely misinformed idea of a model vegan so you could look down actual vegans in the real world. Spare us the indignation.

All I was saying is it's pointless. Fake meat is not meat. Having a negative opinions on meat substitute does not equate with looking down on vegans. I apologize for the "weak convictions" barb.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

I'm talking Beyond, Impossible, etc. I can't comprehend it. Clearly I'm not the market, so I'll stop.

"fake meat" options have definitely boomed over the last few years, and rightly so. That said, Germany as a society is still far away from dropping real meat entirely

Wait wait wait.

Why the FUCK did no one tell me my vegan meat wasnt actually meat?

TheSavageDragon posted...

That's called falafel though. I just don't get dichotomy of swearing off meat and then calling other things bacon, meatballs,... or trying to get the same flavor with all the processed junk.

hockeybub89 posted...

I still don't see the point in fake meat.

it lets you enjoy food without causing (as much) suffering to innocent creatures