Day by day, evidence of the growing economic power of vegetarian food-seeking consumers continues to mount, telling us that “veg” is here to stay. What’s the evidence of this growing economic force, you ask? A quick scan of recent headlines gives the lowdown on the growth of “vegenomics.”

Selling vegetarian in today’s market doesn’t mean just selling to vegetarians, it simply means selling vegetarian. Case in point — the number of vegetarians has remained relatively stable in recent years, but the number of meat reducing consumers has increased steadily. Therefore, in order for vegetarian businesses to grow, they must appeal to the larger group of meat reducing consumers who are moving closer toward a vegetarian diet with every meal.

While survey after survey shows growing consumer interest and demand in vegetarian food options, you don’t need to be a market researcher to know that “veg” is in. In fact, all you need to do is scan through the most recent headlines to see for yourself how vegetarianism and veganism are becoming an intrinsic part of the American lifestyle.

Sometimes checking the pulse on what consumers are saying is easier than you think. Sometimes it just takes the click of the mouse and you can catch a glimpse of what consumers are thinking, feeling, and eating!

In late 2008, the Dutch Vegetarian Association studied the environmental consequences of substituting vegetable proteins for animal proteins in the Dutch diet. By looking at both the product and menu levels of consumer diets, the environmental burdens of both types of products were analyzed and researchers drew several conclusions about the environmental impact a change in diet from animal to vegetable proteins might have.