Adopting new ideas and products, including veganism, typically follows a predictable pattern known as the adoption curve. This bell-shaped curve starts with innovators and early adopters, moves through an early majority and late majority, and finally reaches the laggards.
For products, this might mean the progression from niche vegan cheeses in specialty stores to plant-based options in every supermarket or a few options in a restaurant to fully vegan establishments. For ideas, it’s the shift from a fringe belief to a mainstream value. Consider how organic food moved from hippie co-ops to Walmart shelves, or how recycling went from an activist cause to a standard household practice.
Disruptive ideas, like civil rights movements, follow a similar trajectory but often face more resistance due to their challenge to the status quo. The abolition of slavery, women’s suffrage, and LGBTQ+ rights all started with a small group of passionate advocates (the early adopters) who faced significant opposition. Over time, these ideas gained traction, reached a tipping point, and eventually became widely accepted norms.
Veganism, as both a product category and an ethical stance, is navigating this curve. Like past movements, it challenges deeply ingrained societal norms. The rapid expansion of vegan options and growing acceptance of plant-based lifestyles suggest we’re moving from early adopters towards the early majority – a critical juncture for accelerating change.