Essential Report
Dietary preferences
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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- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Views towards re-electing the federal Coalition government
- Party trust to handle issues
- Importance of Australia’s international reputation
- Scott Morrison’s impact on Australia’s international reputation
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