Why Being Vegan Is So Freaking Expensive

Whether you're on a vegan diet, have someone in the family who is, or are learning to cook vegan meals, you'll know that vegan products are always on the pricier side. To be clear, we're not talking about raw food, which is naturally vegan, like vegetables or grains, but specifically processed vegan products, which usually imitate flavors and textures of non-vegan food. The price difference can be truly frustrating and leave us wondering how a 'vegan' sticker can make a product's price skyrocket so freaking much.

While it might feel like these costs are just there to make veganism seem out of reach for most, there are a few reasons why vegan food is so expensive — starting with production setup. The animal industry has been around for so long that its processes and machines have been adapted to be the most efficient possible. Unfortunately, the vegan industry is not nearly as well established and also requires more labor and technology since it needs to find alternatives to animal products. This makes keeping costs low a much harder job. Although the vegan industry is one of the fastest growing in North America, it's hard to compare it to one that has been around for a whole millennium longer.

When it comes to the animal industry, it is heavily subsidised by the government. The U.S. specifically gives a whopping 38 billion dollars to meat and dairy farmers yearly — a monetary advantage that the vegan industry definitely doesn't have. This subsidy allows the animal industry to produce and price their products at a much lower price point than meat alternatives. If you've studied economics, you'll also be familiar with the concept of supply and demand, which also works against the vegan industry. There is still less demand for vegan products than meat products, which means the vegan industry can't produce such large quantities to benefit from economies of scale. We saw this phenomenon with the Impossible Foods brand, which cut its prices based on an increased demand.

 Another factor that makes it hard for the vegan industry to keep prices low is its packaging. Meats and dairy products will often be packaged in temporary packaging, which is far cheaper to produce. Vegan products usually can't be packaged similarly, using better quality and more expensive packaging. Of course, this leads to additional costs, which the customer pays for. It seems that there are real reasons behind why vegan food is so damn expensive, but as the industry grows quickly, there's hope for change. In the meantime, seeking out vegan brands that are actively reducing prices or prioritizing naturally vegan food is a good place to start.