Euromonitor International is pleased to announce the introduction of a range of new health datasets (including health risk factors and allergy prevalence) as well as data on vegetarian population, urban population living in slums and population practising open defecation. The new datasets are available for 85 core countries with forecast through to 2030 (where available) and can be found on the Population page. With these new additions, Euromonitor International’s database of population and health statistics has become even more comprehensive to provide a complete picture of the population in a country.
Top 5 Countries with the Largest Vegetarian Population: 2011 and 2016
Source: Euromonitor International from European Vegetarian and Animal News Alliance (EVANA), European Vegetarian Union, national sources
Note: Top 5 countries are selected based on a ranking of the vegetarian population in 2016.
Did you know?
- Between 2011 and 2016, the vegetarian population in Italy expanded by 94.4% – the fastest rate of growth globally. However, this was from a relatively low base of 3.0 million in 2011. In absolute terms, Indonesia saw the largest expansion as its vegetarian population rose from 52.7 million in 2011 to 64.0 million in 2016. The growing vegetarian population in many countries reflects a shift in consumption habits, which could lead to decreasing meat consumption and a rising demand for vegetarian products such as meat substitutes. Conversely, countries with falling the vegetarian population as a result of rising consumer incomes – such as China, India and Russia – are important markets for meat products;
- In Switzerland in 2016, a massive 74.4% of the population aged 15+ were insufficiently active – the highest prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adults globally. Insufficient physical activity is one of the ten leading risk factors for global mortality, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Statistics such as this indicates that Swiss policy makers will be seriously looking into measures to educate consumers about preventative care and provide incentives for the adoption of healthier lifestyles. Such measures will have direct implications for a range of businesses, from FMCG companies to healthcare providers;
- In India, 43.6% of the population practised open defecation in 2016. This proportion rose to 60.7% in rural areas. Open defecation is one of the main causes of common diseases in the country, including diarrhoea and cholera, affecting the health of the labour force and the population at large. In this context, Kimberly Clark embarked on an initiative to repair dysfunctional toilets in schools as nearly a quarter of girls in India is estimated to drop out of school on reaching puberty due to lack of access to safe and hygienic toilets. Beyond the corporate social responsibility (CSR) aspect, the project can contribute to driving up demand for tissues in India, as children having access to good sanitation facilities at school will subsequently advocate for indoor toilets at home.
Use the new data to:
- Gain an understanding on the health of the labour force and the population at large.
- Forecast future change in consumer behaviours and consumption habits in order to adapt and/or develop products accordingly.
- Gauge and forecast demand for health services. This is important not only for government agencies, but also private insurers and healthcare providers.
- Predict government policy directions in relation to key issues such as housing, infrastructure and public health.
- Analyse trends and megatrends such as green living and healthy living, and assess their implications for consumer goods businesses.