68% vegan respondents went from being non-vegetarian to vegan
According to a recent survey conducted by India's largest cashback site CashKaro, there has been a 100% rise in orders for vegan food ordered via the site, over the past year. In keeping with a consistently growing demand for vegan food, the cashback site has partnered with multiple F&B brands that offer a vegan spread on their menu.
As per CashKaro’ survey, more men than women have turned vegan recently, with the ratio being 75:25. Moreover, 68% of these respondents were non-vegetarian prior to turning vegan. In addition, 62.6% of the respondents who currently follow a vegan diet, transitioned over the last 2 years.
Among the many reasons for people turning vegan, health is the biggest motivator with almost 40% respondents turning to veganism for improved fitness. Lower blood-sugar levels and better liver function are among the many health benefits of following a vegan diet. According to the World Health Organization, eating legumes (which are a part of vegan diets) regularly may also reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by about 9–18%.
As much as ~41% of the men who have opted for a vegan diet as per the CashKaro Survey, fall in the age group of 18-25 years. These respondents are corporate professionals and also pet parents. Over 60% of them reside in metros including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad.
Speaking about this growing trend, CashKaro Co-Founder Swati Bhargava said, “Indians are becoming increasingly fitness conscious and aware of the benefits of every food type they consume. This could be seen as one of the major reasons for a large number of people opting for a vegan diet.
Aside from that, growing consciousness of environmental hazards caused due to animal products (contributing to 18% to 51% of total global emissions) and reports on animal cruelty are also factors contributing to this trend. CashKaro too works with retailers like Swiggy to offer Cashback on a wide spread of restaurant options for those following a vegan diet.”
As per the survey, over 30% respondents transitioned to veganism, on account of reports on cruelty to animals being on a consistent rise. Interestingly, 95% of respondents who turned vegan admitted to having improved mental health after they brought about this change to their diet.
Veganism can be seen as an international trend spurred by celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Ellen DeGeneres and Liam Hemsworth and our very own Virat Kohli who follow and actively promote a vegan diet. Switching to a vegan diet means giving up on meat, dairy and animal-based products.
This means vegans constantly have to stock up on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, peas, nuts and seeds etc. in order to get essential nutrients. Some of these foods tend to have shorter shelf lives which one would assume makes it harder to find food options. However, only 17% of CashKaro’ survey respondents following a vegan diet said it was hard for them to find food options while eating out. The remaining 83% said their transition to a vegan diet was smooth and eating out was not a challenge.