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Dietary preferences

11 Feb 2020

Q. Which, if any, of the following best describes your diet?

    Age Federal Voting Intention
Total 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor Coalition Greens NET: Other
Vegan 3% 7% 2% 1% 3% 3% 7% 1%
Vegetarian 5% 8% 6% 1% 5% 3% 12% 4%
Pescatarian 5% 7% 5% 3% 5% 3% 7% 7%
Flexitarian/Semi-vegetarian 7% 8% 8% 6% 9% 7% 7% 5%
I try to limit my meat consumption 24% 22% 25% 26% 27% 19% 32% 22%
None of the above 56% 48% 55% 64% 50% 64% 34% 62%
Base (n) 1,056 341 366 349 354 320 113 155
  • 44% of participants are reducing their meat consumption in some way, most commonly by trying to limit their meat consumption (24%).
  • 18-34 year olds are more likely to be vegan (7%) or vegetarian (8%) than those aged over 55 (both 1%).
  • 12% of Greens voters are vegetarian, compared to 4% of all other voters.

Reasons for dietary preferences

Q. And which, if any, of the following are reasons why you choose to follow this diet?

    Age
Total 18-34 35-54 55+
Improve or maintain personal health 51% 40% 50% 65%
Limit processed food, additives or chemicals in diet 32% 21% 36% 40%
Assist with weight loss 29% 29% 27% 32%
Environmental reasons 29% 34% 27% 24%
Ethical reasons of animal welfare 27% 34% 27% 18%
Reduce the cost of food bills 25% 18% 25% 35%
Dislike the taste of meat 11% 13% 13% 7%
Manage an illness (e.g. diabetes) 8% 7% 10% 8%
I have food allergies 7% 9% 7% 4%
Religious beliefs and teachings 4% 6% 5% 0%
None of the above 4% 4% 4% 5%
Base (n) 470 177 166 127
  • The most commonly selected reason for choosing to follow a meat restrictive diet is to improve or maintain personal health (51%), followed by limiting processed food, additives or chemicals in diet (32%), assist with weight loss and environmental reasons (both 29%).
  • 25% of participants are chose to follow a meat restrictive diet in order to reduce the cost of food bills while 11% dislike the taste of meat.
  • Participants over 55 are more likely to say ‘improve or maintain personal health’ (65%), ‘limit processed food, additives or chemicals in diet’ (40%) or ‘reduce the cost of food bills’ (35%), than those 18-34 years old (40%, 21% and 18% respectively).
  • Women are more likely than men to say they dislike the taste of meat (15% women, 7% men).
  • Greens voters are more likely to say environmental (54%) or ethical (45%) reasons than any other political group (both 24%).
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