In The Middle
Veganism: the mother clucking debate Leah discusses whether vegan products from mass meat producing companies are actually making efforts to prevent climate change or if corporations are profiting off of new trends.
Leah Dunderdale-Smith Blogs & Lifestyle Writer
Following the success of the Greggs vegan sausage roll, KFC have introduced a vegan ‘Imposter Burger’: a Quorn fillet coated in the signature KFC eleven herbs and spices. The vegan burger has been met with increasing enthusiasm and praise for KFC online. However, it cannot be helped but consider that a vegan KFC burger is a contradiction. KFC’s primary business is the sale of chicken products, and it could be argued that the fundamental principles of veganism suggests vegans should not support such a brand in any capacity. Whilst many argue that choosing a vegan product influences supply and demand by encouraging meat focused brands to invest in vegan products, it’s debatable how much impact this will have on a company that bears the word ‘Chicken’ in its name. To KFC, veganism is no more than a trend and thus a viable market. When considering Greggs, after the success of their vegan sausage roll they brought out a vegan steak bake. Whilst this is great at giving more vegan choices, the brand will continue to sell these alongside their meat sausage rolls and meat steak bakes. Greggs have simply added vegan products to appeal to vegan consumers, with nothing suggesting that meat eaters are ‘switching’ to these alternatives. Greggs and KFC are just looking to increase their market, not to change their brand ethics and ideals.
It is dependable on your ethics as a vegan as to whether you choose to support brands that profit from the consumption of animal products, however shopping anywhere that is exclusively vegan and 100% cruelty free is unrealistic. Additionally, people turn vegan for reasons other than reducing the exploitation of animals, with other factors such as health and sustainability also influencing decision making. Giving vegan alternatives allows people to make informed choices, which is a positive step for the vegan movement. It is important to make veganism accessible in order to reduce the myth that it is an impossible lifestyle. When turning vegan, people worry that it will impact on their social lives as it can be diet restrictive, so introducing vegan options into fast food shops like KFC is a great way to put these worries at bay. Whilst KFC does not exactly correlate with the ethics of veganism, the company is giving veganism a positive platform. The introduction of vegan alternatives in these prominent fast food chains normalises veganism by bringing it to the high street. We must be optimistic that this positive publicity and promotion of veganism will continue past ‘Veganuary’; hopefully, those who follow a ‘flexitarian’ diet and participate in meat free Mondays will choose from the ever growing selection of meat free alternatives.
iS valentine’s day still about love? Valentine’s Day. You either love it or you hate it. Usually this is dependent on whether you have a significant other, or instead spend the day trying with all your might to avoid such sickening displays of affection. But has this typical day of romance and love become yet another spoke in the all-consuming wheel of consumerism? The shops are flooded with rose bouquets, heart-shaped chocolate boxes and fuchsia pink cards which say things like “I love you more than anything else in the whole wide world”. It’s clear that businesses are making a very satisfying profit from our cliché proclamations of love. Everywhere is under pressure to sell the most romantic cards, the cutest gifts - and we’re under pressure to buy them. Stereotypical portrayals of romance are heavily relied on by many, and the stores take full advantage of us. Is this a way of maximising profit? Or is it genuinely the way we want to show our loved ones how we feel? It’s understandable to feel like we should cut out Valentine’s Day all-together. Surely, we shouldn’t need a specific day to tell our significant other our feelings towards them. With the increasing influence of social media, Valentine’s Day is becoming even more centred on outward appearances of love and the purchases we make that seemingly express
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them. Every couple seems to be posting their lavish gifts and romantic activities. Each year there appears to be less of a focus on genuine feelings and an increasing pressure to buy the perfect gift and having everyone know that you’re out having fun together. These companies hugely conform to stereotypes, putting pressure on couples to conform to certain roles which makes them easier to manipulate into categories. However, making your loved one feel special is a big part of what Valentine’s Day should really be about. Buying flowers for your partner, or chocolates for your fellow single pals, can really make them feel special and loved. Though you may well be falling under the spell of capitalism when buying that pink soppy card, perhaps it’s the message written inside that’s really worth the most to the receiver. So, this February the 14th, when you’re struggling to choose between the heart-shaped lollypop or the chocolate rose, think outside the box. Get creative and get personal. I believe we should stop the consumerdriven interpretations of romance and that this famous holiday should revert back to what it needed to be about all along - love.
Megan Johnson Blogs & Lifestyle Writer
