Vegans And Vegetarians More Likely To Pursue Open Relationships Than Meat-Eaters, New Data Suggests

Data collected by vegan dating app Veggly suggests that vegans and vegetarians are more open to the concept of unconventional relationship frameworks, with 60 percent saying they’re more likely to entertain open relationships than meat-eaters.

Veggly has use three years worth of data collected on its platform, which boasts more than 600,000 members, to analyse what types of relationships are most commonly sought. Romantic, sexual and friendship connections have all been included in the study.

Love in all shapes and forms

Veggly has released intriguing data that suggests a cultural shift is happening in the dating world. While 73.4 percent of its users are still looking for monogamous long-term relationships, 56 percent show interest in ‘one-off dates’. More than a third are interested in the idea of open relationships.

Data mining results have been compared to a Canadian study published in peer-reveiwed title The Journal of Sex. The study demonstrated a 20 percent interest in open relationships, within meat-eating demographics. Compared to 33.8 percent of people identifying as predominantly plant-based.

“We [also] found it interesting to see how vegans are more keen for open relationships than vegetarians. We’re not sure why – perhaps we’ll find out soon,” AlexFelipelli said in a statement.

The app released the results ahead of Valentine’s Day, which contributes to a slew of new dating app users every year. Platforms are increasingly demonstrating an awareness of non-traditional connections and seek to facilitate them commercially.

Explaining the trend

From a behavioural point of view, if the data can be validated, it presents an opportunity to further study the shift in traditional relationship formats. Just as couples no longer habitually marry before living together, this might be a new paradigm movement to increasingly less rigid forms of commitment. The question remains: what do eating preferences have to do with it?

“This research from Veggly that vegans and veggies are 69% are more likely to pursue an open relationship than meat eaters is fascinating, and it makes sense from my point of view as a psychologist,”  Jo Hemmings, behavioural psychologist and relationship coach said in a statement.

“Vegans in particular have already taken an ethical decision not to eat meat, and this has become one of their core values when meeting a match. Due to their self-assured and less traditional eating choice, they are more likely to have the strong confidence needed to consider relationships that are also different from the ‘norm’. They have already broken away from the traditional norms for diet… so why not break away from relationship norms as well? That norm-breaking confidence may also be carried into other areas of relationships, and could result in a stronger likelihood to experiment in the bedroom or with other varieties of relationship that aren’t in keeping with traditional relationship structures.”

The rise of vegan dating apps

Alongside Veggly, which celebrated more than a million matches last year, vegan dating apps are springing up everywhere. This is, in part, due to an understanding that for non-vegans, they would be put off matching with a plant-based person on regular apps. On the flip side, vegans have highlighted that a majority would seek out a partner with the same ethical beliefs and dietary preferences.
 
In July last year, London-based Grazer launched to target Gen Z and Millennials. It found success within the friendship matching service, outperforming Bumble’s BFF feature.

Lead photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash.