It seems like livestock in Germany are set to get some reprieve from being butchered for meat in the future, as meat companies in the country are starting to adopt a more open stance in producing products that serve as alternative protein sources, according to Mercy for Animals.
German meat companies have initiated the thrust towards more animal-friendly products after a significant and noticeable change in consumer attitude and mindset. A study conducted in June, for instance, concluded that young German consumers reflect an increased interest in animal welfare.
The study further determined that up to 15 percent of respondents aged 16 to 24 consider themselves vegetarian. Also, 18 percent in the age range state that they purchase meat alternatives when shopping for food, reported Food Navigator.
The change in mindset has affected people within the meat industry itself, as well.
The director of Rugenwalder Muhle, a German meat giant, referred to sausages in an interview with Die Welt as the "cigarette of the future." The director further stated that he would prefer non-meat products to represent 30 percent of the company's sales by 2019.
Though the director was condemned by his peers in the meat industry, he did not relent on his stance, especially since the shift to non-meat products has already reached other countries. For example, a study has concluded that one in eight shoppers in the U.K. are keen to replace half of their meat purchases with vegetable protein, provided that alternatives are available.
Check out more news about meat-free alternatives here.
