Confirmation of a growing interest in this topic in Italy also comes from a survey by Uber Eats. «During the past year, the number of restaurants offering options increased by 23%. plant-based on the app,” they say from Uber Eats. More specifically, in Milan the districts with the highest offer of vegetable dishes are Centrale, Porta Venezia and Brera, in Naples the areas of Arenella, Piedigrotta and Vomero, in Rome the area of the Colosseum, Trastevere and Termini.
A series of companies have also focused on the vegan lifestyle, starting from the fast food chains, attracted by the popularity of the movement which gathers the support of many stars, starting from the historical exponents of veganism such as Paul McCartney up to Joaquin Phoenix, Jessica Chastain or Natalie Portman.
The economy based on vegetable proteins, as an alternative to meat and animal products, has therefore reached the “center of the plate”, as the experts say. The global size of the vegan food market was $23.3 billion in 2020 and $26.2 billion in 2021, according to a study by Fortune Business Insights, one of the most conservative on the subject. And it’s expected to triple to $61.3 billion in 2028 (but some predict twice that growth).
“The global impact of Covid-19 has been staggering, driving up demand in all regions of the world during the pandemic,” the study explains. Health and well-being have become the two crucial factors that have contributed to the change in purchasing patterns, causing an increase in sales of vegan products in the global market. In addition, e-commerce platforms for the sale of food products have grown during the pandemic period and delivery services have seen a surge in vegan food orders, due to the high number of adoptions of a healthy lifestyle while work from home.”
“Adopting a vegan diet helps keep weight down and reduces the possibility of cardiovascular disease. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association states that people who adopt a vegan lifestyle have a longer life expectancy than those who adopt a meat-based diet. Since a vegan-based diet is high in fiber, its adoption also helps improve metabolism. Therefore, the demand for a vegan diet is increasing among health-conscious consumers,” the study argues.