At the beginning of the year, McDonald’s launched, in the United States in particular, a hamburger with a vegetable “grilled” steak accompanied by onion, pickle, lettuce, slices of tomato, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise and a slice of American cheese. A burger finally intended for vegetarians. The ‘McPlant’ trial was quietly dropped last month (it is still available in some markets, including the UK). Enough to weaken the meatless industry which claimed to be able to change the plate of Americans, reports the Guardian.
Getting meat-eaters in the United States to embrace plant-based alternatives has proven to be a challenge. Beyond Meat, the company the US restaurant chain has partnered with, which makes a variety of plant-based products including imitation ground beef, burgers, sausages and meatballs, has had a tough year , with a fall of almost 70% of its shares. In August, the company laid off 4% of its workforce after slowing sales growth.
5% vegetarians in the United States
Consumers seem reluctant to adapt their behavior when the environment is the only beneficiary. Despite warnings about climate change, the number of Americans who are vegetarians or vegans has remained relatively stable over the past 20 years. About 5% of Americans in 2018 said they were vegetarians, while 3% were vegans, according to a survey relayed by the British newspaper. Even when participants were given information about the carbon footprint of meat production, they were more likely to opt for animal meat than a plant-based alternative.
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Consumers may have been put off by the taste of plant-based steak and the fact that it is not necessarily a healthier alternative to animal meat. Plant-based meat has also struck a chord in the United States. In 2018 and 2019, ten conservative states banned the use of the term “meat” on the labels of non-animal products, targeting the plant-based meat industry.