From Boomer to Gen Z: Germany's Great Food Revolution

Generation Check: Who's the Greenest Eater?

Do you feel like a lot has changed in our kitchens over the past few years? An exciting YouGov survey looked at how different generations in Germany eat – and the results are fascinating. Who would have thought that only a tiny one percent of our Boomers (the 61 to 79-year-olds) eat vegan? That means they completely forgo all animal products: no meat, no milk, no eggs, no honey. This diet has barely taken hold in this age group.

Gen Z Leads the Way (But Not Entirely)

In stark contrast is Generation Z (18 to 28 years). One in ten people in this group state they live vegan! And if we include vegetarians, that's a whopping 23 percent of young people. This clearly indicates that issues like climate and animal welfare are much higher priorities for the young than for Boomers. The Middle Generations (Millennials and Gen X) are, as expected, in between, with 2 to 3 percent vegans. But pause for a moment: Despite this clear shift, almost half (46 percent) of Gen Z still eat meat or fish.

The Flexi Surprise

And then there are the Flexitarians. These are the people who don't strictly abstain but also don't eat meat daily. And here comes the big surprise: The Boomers top this list with 42 percent! Only 28 percent of young Gen Z call themselves Flexitarian. Interesting, right? This shows that mindful meat consumption is happening at every age. By the way, women are driving this change in particular – they are twice as likely to be vegan or vegetarian as men. The bottom line is clear: almost one in three adults in Germany eats more plant-based today than five years ago. That's a real shift!