第2838期:The vegan market

In the UK, over 3 million people are vegetarian. That's 7% of the population. And in addition to that, a further 600,000 people, less than 2% of the population, are vegan.在英国，有超过三百万人是素食者，占全国人口的7%。除此之外，还有大约六十万人（不到2%）是纯素食者。Yeah, now 600,000 is not a lot of people, but it's 4 more, 4 times more than in 2014. And half of these made the change just last year. In addition, a third of all Brits are reducing the amount of meat they eat.是的，六十万人并不是很多，但比2014年多了四倍。而且，其中一半人是在去年才改成纯素的。另外，三分之一的英国人正在减少他们吃肉的量。Yes, and actually it's even predicted that vegans and vegetarians will make up a quarter of the British population by 2025. So, without doubt, this is a new and fast-growing area. We're looking at how UK companies are responding.没错，事实上，有预测认为到2025年，素食者和纯素食者将占英国人口的四分之一。因此，这无疑是一个新兴且增长迅速的领域。我们来看看英国的企业是如何应对的。Now, Richard, tell us about Gregg's the Bakers. Yes, it's the largest bakery in the UK and this year in January they launched their first vegan sausage roll. As a result of that single sausage roll, profits leapt more than 50% to £40 million in the first six months of 2019.那么，理查德，请你谈谈英国最大的连锁面包店——Gregg’s。是的，它是英国最大的面包连锁店，今年一月他们推出了第一款纯素香肠卷。结果仅凭这一款产品，公司在2019年上半年的利润就激增了50%以上，达到四千万英镑。I have to say, vegan and sausage roll, it sounds a bit strange to me, Richard. Yes, it does sound a bit strange, but it's obviously very tasty as it's now one of Gregg's five bestsellers. Wow! And for them, of course, veganism is great for business.我得说，纯素和香肠卷放在一起听起来有点怪，理查德。是啊，听起来确实有点奇怪，但显然味道很好，因为它现在是Gregg’s销量前五的产品之一。哇！对他们来说，纯素主义简直成了生意上的福音。But the marketing strategy also meant an increase in their other products, so its shares have also doubled in value over the past year. Yes, because people are going in to buy the vegan sausage roll and buying other things at the same time. So Gregg's is a good example of a company embracing veganism and profiting from that.而且，这种市场策略也带动了他们其他产品的销量，所以过去一年公司股价翻了一倍。是的，因为顾客去买纯素香肠卷时，也顺便买了别的东西。所以Gregg’s是一个很好的例子，说明企业拥抱纯素潮流也能从中获利。But it's not just the food industry, is it, that's riding the vegan wave? No, no. Another British company, Dr Martens, often called Doc Martens, isn't it? It's famous for its boots and shoes. Now they've been going in and out of fashion, what, since the 1960s? Don't tell me, Jackie, they've got a vegan boot.不过，乘着纯素潮流的不仅仅是食品业，对吧？没错，还有另一家英国公司——马汀博士（Dr. Martens），也叫Doc Martens，它以靴子和鞋子闻名。从上世纪六十年代起，它的鞋子时尚与否几经起伏。别告诉我，杰基，他们现在也出纯素靴子了？Yes, the company launched a vegan range of boots. Now this was back in 2011, actually, but it was this year that profits surged by 70% and online sales also rose by two-thirds to £72.7 million. And this accounts for 16% of the total revenues for the company.是的，这家公司在2011年就推出了纯素系列靴子。不过，今年它的利润猛增了70%，线上销售额也增长了三分之二，达到7270万英镑，占公司总收入的16%。Right, Jackie, what makes their boots vegan then? Well, you're not going to eat them, but they have replaced the leather uppers with a combination of polyester fabric and polyurethane. So you're basically telling me they're making plastic boots. It does seem a bit odd to exchange leather for plastic.好的，杰基，那他们的靴子怎么叫“纯素”呢？嗯，当然不是给人吃的，只是他们把皮革鞋面换成了聚酯纤维和聚氨酯的组合。也就是说，他们其实在做塑料靴子？是的，用塑料取代皮革确实有点奇怪。I mean, they may not be made out of animals, but plastic is hardly an ecological alternative. Again, it's the marketing, isn't it? Yes, it's interesting that these companies use the term vegan. But of course, we're talking about clothes.我的意思是，虽然这些靴子不是动物制品，但塑料显然也谈不上环保。又是营销手法，对吧？是的，这些公司使用“纯素”这个词很有意思。但别忘了，我们讨论的是衣物，不是食物。We're not talking about things that the customers are eating, is it? But it's the brand, isn't it, Richard? Because not that long ago, synthetic leather, it was considered fake. It was considered a product for people who couldn't afford the real thing. But now the brand, the marketing, it's making all the difference.我们不是在谈顾客吃的东西，对吧？但这关键在于品牌，不是吗，理查德？因为就在不久前，合成皮还被认为是“假货”，是买不起真皮的人才会买的产品。但如今，品牌与营销改变了一切。Yes, anything animal-free and it's flying off the shelves. Yeah, yeah. My question is this, Richard.是的，只要打上“无动物成分”的标签，产品就会被抢购一空。没错，没错。不过理查德，我有个问题。People become vegans for their health, for the animals and for the environment. But the reason companies are embracing the term and design vegan-labeled products, I think is a little bit more questionable. They're just after the cash, aren't they? Of course.人们选择纯素，是为了健康、动物和环境。但企业热衷推出纯素产品、打上“纯素”标签的动机，我觉得就值得怀疑了——他们只是为了赚钱，对吧？当然。Because at the end of the day, if you want to be eco-friendly, ethical, more sustainable, you just need to consume fewer items. Yeah, buy less. But that's hardly something that businesses want to hear.毕竟，如果真想做到环保、道德、可持续，其实只需要少消费。是的，少买点东西。但这显然不是企业愿意听到的话。