Why Aren’t Plant-Based Diets More Widespread?

Everyone from the UN to leading medical journals has made it clear: shifting away from animal products is one of the most effective things we can do for the planet and for human health. Yet here we are — with most people saying they want to eat more plant-based foods, but very few actually doing it.

The reasons aren’t as simple as “people just like meat.” They’re structural, cultural, and deliberately reinforced by industries that profit from the status quo. A recent survey of over 30,000 people in 31 countries found that 68% want to eat more plant-based foods, but only 20% manage it “most or all of the time” — a decline from 23% the year before.

The Price Myth — and the Reality

When people are asked why they don’t eat more plant-based foods, the number one answer is price. Globally, 42% cite it as the main barrier, rising to 48% in North America and 46% in Europe. In the U.S., a Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and Morning Consult survey found more than 60% of adults believe a plant-based diet costs more than one including meat and dairy. Baby Boomers are the most convinced — 67% think it’s pricier. And yet, when asked what their biggest grocery expense actually is, 70% said meat.

The numbers don’t lie. A 2024 JAMA Network Open study found that a low-fat plantbased diet cut food costs by 19% — about $1.80 per day — compared to the Standard American Diet. The biggest savings came from not buying flesh ($2.90/day), dairy ($0.50/day), and added fats ($0.50/day). A 2021 Oxford University study suggested plantbased diets could reduce food bills by up to one-third when long-term healthcare and climate costs are factored in.

So why do so many still believe plant-based eating is expensive? Decades of marketing have cemented animal products as “staples” while presenting vegan options as niche luxuries. If your mental picture of plant-based food is a $6 smoothie in a café, you’re missing the reality that beans, lentils, potatoes, frozen veg, and oats cost less than chicken, beef, and cheese — and last longer.

The Taste Factor

After price, the next biggest barrier is taste. Globally, 35% of people say flavour stops them eating more plant-based foods, rising to 45% in North America and 38% among Baby Boomers. This isn’t about the taste of vegetables themselves — it’s about familiarity. People raised on heavily seasoned, salted, and fat-laden animal products often find plain steamed veg unappealing because they’ve never learned to cook plants as the main event.

Food culture plays a huge role. In North America, where flesh is the centre of most plates, replacing it can feel like taking something away rather than adding something new. In Latin America, where beans, grains, and vegetables are culturally familiar, only 23% say flavour is an issue.

This isn’t an unfixable problem. It’s a challenge for food education, culinary creativity, and the plant-based industry — which still too often mimics flesh rather than showcasing the incredible diversity of plants themselves.

Regional and Cultural Hurdles

The EAT–GlobeScan survey found plant-based food consumption has dropped in Europe (18%), Asia-Pacific (14%), and North America (13%) since 2023. Increases in food prices have driven people back to “cheaper” familiar foods — which often means animal products, especially in high-income countries where subsidies keep meat and dairy artificially cheap.

In Asia-Pacific, particularly China and Vietnam, 23% have nutritional concerns about plant-based diets — a sign that misinformation is still widespread. In Africa and the Middle East, 32% say plant-based foods are hard to find and prepare. These are solvable problems, but they require targeted solutions: public health campaigns to dismantle myths, infrastructure to improve access, and recipes that fit into local cooking traditions rather than imposing Western menus.

Health Misconceptions

One of the most persistent myths about plant-based diets is that they’re less healthy or less complete than diets including meat. This belief persists despite an ever-growing body of evidence showing the opposite.

A massive Molecular Nutrition & Food Research cohort study of more than 143,000 UK participants over 14.5 years found that a healthy plant-based diet — rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains — reduced the risk of inflammatory bowel disease. Specifically, it lowered the risk of ulcerative colitis by 8% and Crohn’s disease by 14%.

And “healthy” matters — the same study found that “unhealthy” plant-based diets high in refined grains and oils increased the risk of Crohn’s disease. The takeaway is not just to go plant-based, but to go well-planned plant-based.

This is on top of decades of research showing plant-based diets reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers — while lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammation. Yet these facts are drowned out by industry-funded campaigns sowing doubt.

The Role of Industry and Policy

The animal agriculture industry has every reason to keep people hooked on meat, dairy, and eggs. Billions in subsidies, marketing, and political lobbying maintain low retail prices and keep plant-based alternatives at a disadvantage. When governments fail to remove these structural barriers, consumer choice isn’t really free choice — it’s guided by what the system makes most accessible and familiar.

There’s public support for change. The EAT–GlobeScan survey found 86% support lower taxes on healthy and sustainable foods. But without political will, the default will remain the products that cause the most environmental damage, the most health problems, and the most suffering for animals.

Shifting the Narrative

Price and taste may be the headline barriers, but they sit on top of deeper cultural conditioning. For generations, meat has been framed as the “real” food and plants as the side dish. Changing that isn’t just about making better veggie burgers — it’s about redefining what a meal looks like, what health means, and who benefits from the current system.

Plant-based food companies can help by improving flavour and texture, yes — but also by marketing plant foods as exciting and culturally relevant, not just “alternatives” to something else. Governments can support this with education, policy incentives, and removing subsidies for destructive industries. Advocates can keep hammering home that plant-based eating is normal, affordable, and globally beneficial.

The Big Picture

Here’s the contradiction: 69% of people believe the world would be better with less meat, yet the majority still choose meat when they eat. This gap between values and actions isn’t unique to diet — we see it in climate change, health behaviours, and justice movements across the board. People often know what’s right, but without structural changes and cultural shifts, habits win.

The evidence is overwhelming:

🌍 Plant-based diets are better for the planet, slashing emissions, land use, and water waste.

🫀 They’re better for health, lowering disease risk and improving longevity.

💰 They’re often cheaper than diets based on animal products, especially when whole foods are the foundation.

So why aren’t they more widespread? Because the system is rigged to make the worst option seem easiest, cheapest, and tastiest — and then blame individuals for not making “better choices.”

Until that changes, the plant-based shift will keep stalling. But the demand is there, the evidence is there, and the solutions are there. The only real question is how long we’ll keep pretending the barriers are personal instead of political.