In the United States, the Super Bowl is a real institution. For the uninitiated, this is an American football game that serves as the season finale of the National Football League. The rebroadcast of this event is watched annually by more than 100 million American television viewers, often accompanied by a salty snack such as chicken wings. By 2021, Americans would have consumed nearly 1.4 billion chicken wings on Super Bowl nights. But for the 2022 edition, things are changing: vegan wings have to steal the show from their animal cousins. Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) estimates that more than 160 million vegan “chicken wings” are expected to be consumed during Super Bowl LVI on Feb. 13.
The animal welfare organization also says that more than 10 million Americans are expected to give up chicken wings this year in favor of a vegan alternative. To make these estimates, CIWF relied on research findings that showed that approximately 6% of the U.S. population considers themselves vegetarian or vegan, and that approximately one-third (33.5%) follow a flexitarian or low-fat diet. Seen “the growing popularity of plant-based, healthy, ‘human’ versions of classic American foods that taste identical to animal-based versions”the organism has “Decided to estimate the number of football fans who will eat compassionately next Sunday”Ben Williamson, executive director of Compassion in World Farming, said in a press release. CIWF recalls that more than 9 billion chickens are raised for their meat in the United States each year.