Plant-Based Diet and Animal Welfare Impact

Shifting toward plant-based diets is one of the most impactful individual actions for reducing animal suffering, with evidence showing significant welfare benefits across multiple species and farming systems.

Key Facts

Around 80 billion land animals are farmed for food globally each year
The average person who eats meat, eggs, and dairy is responsible for the suffering of hundreds of animals per year
Fish and seafood consumption accounts for over a trillion individual animals annually if bycatch is included
Studies show plant-based diets reduce land use, greenhouse gas emissions, and animal suffering simultaneously

Welfare Considerations

Individual dietary choices aggregate to enormous impacts on animal welfare. A global shift toward plant-based diets would reduce the suffering of billions of farmed animals annually. Each person who reduces meat and dairy consumption by half effectively halves their personal contribution to farmed animal suffering. The welfare benefits are not uniform: reducing consumption of pork and poultry products from intensive systems has larger per-kilogram welfare impacts than reducing beef from extensive systems. Fish and seafood consumption involves some of the highest numbers of individual animals. Choosing higher-welfare animal products when consuming animal products, and reducing consumption overall, together represent the most effective individual welfare strategy available. Economic signals from reduced consumption create pressure for systemic change.

What You Can Do

Reduce consumption of factory-farmed animal products as a primary welfare action
Try increasing plant-based meals to two or three per week as a starting point
When consuming animal products choose certified higher-welfare alternatives
Learn about which farmed animal products are associated with the most intense welfare problems
Support evidence-based organizations working on dietary transition and food system change