The Vegetarian Butcher has called on mainstream dating apps such as Hinge, Bumble, and Grindr to allow users to specify dietary preferences on their dating profiles.
According to new research by the plant-based meat brand, three-quarters of Brits feel it’s important to date someone with the same dietary preferences. 9% said they would be completely turned off if a potential date followed a different diet, and 56% said it would be a dealbreaker if the other person’s values didn’t match their own.
But 75% of dating apps don’t give users the option to specify their dietary preferences, despite having the functionality to list factors such as star signs, views about Brexit, and Covid vaccination status.
The Vegetarian Butcher’s findings echo results from a German study in 2018, which found that 79% of vegans would not date a meat-eater who had no plans to give up meat. Two-thirds of vegans in the study said it was important that their partner was also vegan.
As veganism and vegetarianism grow in popularity, dating apps are springing up to cater to those who avoid meat. The most popular, Veggly, celebrated over a million matches earlier this year. Another app, Vegandr, launched in 2020 and features a built-in restaurant finder for dates.
“At The Vegetarian Butcher, we believe that we must sacrifice nothing when it comes to enjoying our food,” said Inna Elwell, Senior Marketing Manager at The Vegetarian Butcher. “What we choose to eat can be a crucial part of our identity and should therefore be taken just as seriously within the world of dating and connecting with one another. Our mission is to lead a food revolution which makes plant-based eating the new normal. Through ensuring this is met across all elements of our consumers’ lives, including looking for love, we can bring about real change together.”
