How many people avoid poultry products because of false information spread by activists of anti-livestock organizations?
It is difficult to quantify precisely how many people in Italy or around the world could eat chicken and eggs, but choose not to because of concerns about intensive farming.
There are no specific surveys that measure exactly this motivation.
However, we can make some observations based on trends and available data:
Here are some indications that suggest there are a significant number of people who do not go near poultry meat or who turn away from it because of fakes:
- There is a growing awareness of animal welfare
In recent years, there has been increasing consumer attention to animal welfare on factory farms. Documentaries, journalistic investigations, and awareness campaigns have shown critical conditions on intensive farms without any feedback from the industry, thus making consumers think that what was seen in photos and films was absolutely true.
- Ethical and environmental concerns
Many people are concerned about the environmental impact of intensive livestock farming (pollution, resource consumption) and ethical issues related to the treatment of animals that the poultry industry does not care to tell how much of a commitment it has to take care of animal welfare however intended for our food.
- Increase in plant alternatives
The market for plant-based meat and egg substitutes is growing rapidly, suggesting that more and more people are seeking alternatives to animal products, often for ethical and sustainability reasons. Some poultry companies are also turning to producing plant-based protein products to try to have a wider consumer base, but without building their own narrative that adequately counteracts fakes about the poultry industry.
- Generic surveys on attitudes toward animal welfare
Several European and global surveys show that a significant portion of the population is concerned about animal welfare on farms and would be willing to pay more for products from more respectful farming systems. However, this does not solve what a proper narrative could do, to the point that consumers anyway in front of the shelves, when choosing poultry products, choose the cheapest product that always corresponds to conventional chicken and the result of selection dedicated to providing chickens genetically predisposed to grow more than others, faster while consuming fewer resources.
- Preference for products from alternative livestock farms
There is an increasing demand for and availability of eggs from free-range, free-range or organic hens and chicken meat from less intensive farms. This indicates that a portion of consumers are willing to choose and sometimes pay more for products perceived as more ethical. However, in this way a pseudo-response is offered only for more affluent consumer categories, which are, however, a small percentage of the total. That is, niche products are available if requested, but these are still animals that are slaughtered only a few days later. However, the consumer and the producers of fakes are not aware of what is involved in raising these genotypes.
https://moreaboutchicken.com/pheno-or-geno/
Here are some reasons why quantifying those who avoid, or move away from, chicken meat is difficult:
- Multiple motivations
Food choices are often influenced by a combination of factors, including taste, price, health, habits, and ethical beliefs. It is difficult to isolate concern for intensive farming alone as the main reason for avoiding chicken and eggs, and even if it were possible to isolate it requires insights that consumers struggle to find.
- Regional and cultural variations
Sensitivity to animal welfare and knowledge of intensive livestock farming can vary significantly among different regions and cultures. Educating and informing different cultures is always more difficult than fostering feelings of fear and revulsion typical of those who disseminate fakes instead.
- Lack of specific data
As mentioned earlier, there are no surveys dedicated to specifically measuring the number of people who avoid chicken and eggs solely because of concerns about intensive farming.
Although it is therefore not possible to give an exact figure, it is reasonable to assume that a significant number of people in Italy and other countries choose to limit or avoid chicken and egg consumption because of concerns about intensive farming.
Growing awareness, ethical and environmental concerns, and the availability of plant and livestock alternatives support this hypothesis although the true extent of this phenomenon is difficult to quantify accurately without specific studies.
Why does the poultry industry appear silent to the accusations it receives?
