The Vegan Society acknowledges that cultivated meat has potential benefits, such as reducing animal slaughter and suffering, environmental improvements (less land and water usage, reduced greenhouse emissions), reduced zoonotic disease risks, and decreased antibiotic resistance. However, the organization states, “Cultivated meat is not vegan. Furthermore, it may never be considered vegan.”
In a newly released research briefing, The Vegan Society discusses the intersections between veganism, ethics, and cultivated meat, highlighting the current limitations in alignment with vegan principles and ethical considerations.
“Our policy position makes clear, cultured meat is not vegan”
The paper also provides readers with essential information on the technology that has moved from a “fringe idea found only in science fiction” to being approved in Singapore, the US, and Israel, served in restaurants in Hong Kong, and approved as a pet food ingredient in the UK.
“Veganism as a philosophy is concerned with ending the exploitation of, and cruelty to, non-human animals. As such, it’s understandable that some vegans may be drawn to the possibilities of this technology. However, as our policy position makes clear, cultured meat is not vegan.”
Image courtesy of Ivy Farm
The continued use of animals
Speciesism, or the belief in human superiority justifying animal exploitation, is deeply rooted in society, and veganism seeks to challenge this. The organization explains that veganism promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives, from food to clothes to entertainment, for the benefit of animals, humans, and the environment.
Cultivated meat doesn’t align entirely with the anti-speciesism principle since it still involves animal use for their cells, which are the building blocks for growing meat in bioreactors.
So, even if the technology could reduce slaughter numbers, it’s only partially free of animal use, it argues. Cell line development points to no animal involvement in the future, but this is only a theory; while after cell extraction, the fate of the animals remains unclear, but they likely continue to face traditional farming conditions, the organization notes.
“As it currently stands, the process of cultivated meat is not enough for us to support it”
The Vegan Society also argues that while cultivated meat could replace conventional meat, it presents significant profit-making opportunities to traditional meat companies like Cargill and Tyson, and animal exploitation for dairy, wool, eggs, and leather would persist.
“As it currently stands, the process of cultivated meat is not enough for us to support it. There is already a myriad of vegan meat alternatives that don’t derive from cultivated or lab-grown meats — essentially, there are kinder alternatives out there.
© The Vegan Society
Different opinions and recommendations
The new paper also includes two different opinions on animal ethics and cultivated meat. Two members of The Vegan Society’s Research Advisory Committee, Dr. Corey Lee Wrenn, a lecturer of Sociology at the University of Kent, and Dr. Chris Bryant, a social scientist and Director of Bryant Research, elaborated on their thoughts. You can find the opinion pieces here.
Lastly, The Vegan Society notes that as cultivated meat progresses, vegan companies should:
Advocate for clear vegan product labeling to guarantee consumers the origins of their food.
Monitor the impact of the technology on farmed animals with efforts to discuss their welfare when used for cultivated meat.
Implement further research to better understand the opinions of vegans.
Implement campaigns to emphasize the limitation of technologies as the only solution to address the climate crisis.
“Whilst these products include starter cells derived from animals, they aren’t vegan. We understand that this is a fast-moving sector, and we will keep this under review,” The Vegan Society states.
