From bwmarketingworld.com
Veganism in India needs a narrative shift, from foreign and restrictive to familiar, aspirational and deeply rooted in Indian tradition, writes Namita Puri and Sukriti Sekhri Gupta
The idea of living consciously has been in India for decades yet the label of such conscious living is still a concept. In India, the term ‘vegan’ risks being interpreted as foreign. While the Indian food market is projected to reach USD 3.82 billion by 2033, growing at a steady 10 per cent CAGR (imarc) these figures are not yet reflected in everyday behaviour. This reluctance may stem in part from a culture where dairy consumption is woven into routines and rituals—think milk in chai, ghee in laddoos, and butter-laden parathas. As such, a label like ‘vegan’, if positioned in opposition to this legacy, can feel less like a choice and more like a rejection of tradition. Yet, most Indian staples—like poha, upma, roti-sabzi, dal—are inherently vegan, meaning millions of Indians already consume vegan meals daily without labelling them as such.
This hesitation extends to businesses that spend months perfecting vegan recipes and curating appealing menus, often using terms such as ‘natural’, ‘plant-forward, or ‘guilt-free’ instead of explicitly labelling items as vegan. Many restaurant owners report higher consumer buy-in when menus emphasise functional benefits—‘gut friendly’, ‘protein rich’, or ‘cruelty free’—rather than an ideology. By not using the word ‘vegan’, restaurants deliberately aim to balance differentiation with broader appeal, without alienating potential consumers.
Labels carry weight. They signal identity, aspiration, or exclusion. Mock meat illustrates how descriptors can hinder adoption: for non-vegetarians, ‘guilt-free chicken’ eases the transition to plant-based eating, even though some may fixate on the word ‘mock’ and object to it not being ‘real’. Conversely, lifelong vegetarians may find the same phrase unappealing. Reframing it as a ‘soya tikki’ can encounter far less resistance. Again, it is the label, not the food, that becomes the barrier.
Despite these challenges, veganism is gaining momentum in India, driven largely by millennials and Gen Z, who adopt plant-based choices for health, climate responsibility, ethics, and curiosity. Exposure to global trends and abundant content has made people more aware of the impact of their habits and lifestyle.
A welcome shift would see brands actively creating category awareness. To move from early adopters to the majority, brands must normalise the vegan identity. The rise of matcha in India offers a telling parallel: influencer-driven awareness and continuous reinforcement turned it into a lifestyle buzzword, even causing predicted global supply shortages.
Consistent highlighting of inherently vegan products and repeated reinforcement of their benefits—through menus, packaging, and campaigns—can similarly increase acceptance. Just as ‘sugar-free’ or ‘gluten-free’ became mainstream through repetition, ‘vegan’ could shed its foreignness if normalised in everyday contexts.
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Brands can also break the stereotype that vegan food is solely healthy or restrictive. By adding a variety of products and flavours into the existing product mix, such as vegan ice cream, bakery items, pizzas, and burgers—adoption can increase while preventing narrow perceptions. New-age brands are tapping into this segment with unconventional yet relatable marketing. AltCo, for instance, leans into humour and relatability to engage young audiences while embedding the product in all communications for recognition and recall. Blue Tribe emphasises indulgence and taste alongside ethics. Another emerging approach is to move beyond the label altogether, focusing instead on the inherent quality and taste of the product. As Abhishek Sinha, co-founder, GoodDot, explained, “Yes, the word 'vegan' can sometimes create an unintended barrier. It can sound like a movement for a select few, whereas our goal is inclusivity.” He added that their messaging is “intentionally broader” with a view to “engage everyone who enjoys good food, irrespective of ideology. Our focus is to make vegan or plant-based food so tasty, affordable, and accessible that it stops being a niche and simply becomes normal.”
While many argue that veganism is a form of activism, it is, in fact, a lifestyle—one that goes far beyond dietary preferences and transforms into a choice to live cruelty-free. Once familiar with the concept in food, consumers may more easily extend it to other categories, including vegan textiles, skincare, cosmetics, and accessories. At this stage, brands tap into what Freud termed the ‘superego’, enabling consumers to make ethical choices aligned with higher values without feeling preached to. In India, vegan cosmetics are already gaining mainstream traction. According to Ken Research, vegan cosmetics are likely to be a key trend shaping future demand. Beyond beauty, vegan leather accessories are also gaining footing, reflecting consumer values. These are not merely buzzwords but are evolving into standards, as more millennials and Gen Z consumers demand transparency and ethics. These shifts demonstrate how labels can move from sounding niche or alien to becoming aspirational markers of identity.
For this transition to succeed, vegan food products could be reframed as a contemporary evolution of what Indians already eat and believe in. The narrative must shift from an imported lifestyle to a modern adaptation of Indian tradition. Rather than treating the label ‘vegan’ as a liability, brands could position it as a signal of indulgence without guilt and of luxury with conscience.
The real question is not whether veganism will grow, but how brands shape the story. By creating awareness, expanding accessibility, and nurturing aspiration, veganism can evolve from being perceived as ‘just a concept’ to a chosen identity. Given the growing market, it will be interesting to see how brands transform a label they fear associating with into one that signals sustainability, kindness, and luxury.
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